The Rise of Sam Axe: Hiding In Plain Sight
by WritePassion
Summary: Six months in hiding. Still no word from Mike and Fi, and Jesse and Dani appear to have gone off the grid. With no connection to the good guys at the Agency, Sam and Keith work to protect Elsa and themselves from detection while trying to make it in a foreign environment. Maddie and Virgil find a surprise in their mailbox and decide that it's time they got involved.
1. Chapter 1

_Burn Notice: I don't own it, I just like to play with it!_**  
**

_I posted this and realized I had some major edits I missed, so this is updated._

**The Rise of Sam Axe: **

**Hiding In Plain Sight**

By WritePassion

Virgil had been retired from the Navy for quite awhile, and he liked the casual lifestyle he'd adopted. Although sometimes he liked structure, especially when it came to things like the mail delivery. Granted, he rarely got anything. It was always stuff for Maddie. Yet every day without fail he went to the box at fifteen hundred hours to pull out the day's haul. When the mailman was late, he worried that something was wrong, that the agents down the street finally decided to steal the mail and rifle through it themselves. At fifteen-twenty, he heard the scrape of the box lid, and Virgil shot out of his seat to confront the letter carrier.

"You're late, Son," Virgil accused in a tone that used to strike fear in new recruits and subordinates alike.

"S-sorry, Mr. Watkins. I almost forgot this. It slipped out of my stack and landed on the floor of my truck," the young man apologized and handed him an envelope the size of a sheet of paper. It had a dirty tread impression on the front. "Sorry for the footprint."

"Well, as long as what's inside is intact, it's alright. Just be more careful next time, okay?" He gave the kid a thin smile, the kind that always made them promise to try harder while fear took root in their eyes.

"Yes, Sir, Mr. Watkins. I'll treat Mrs. Westen's mail like it belonged to my mom. I promise!" He whirled and wished him a good day as he hurried on to the next house.

Virgil chuckled under his breath. At his age, he had very little to amuse him. Harassing the younguns provided him some fun. If Sam was around, the two of them could go to Carlito's, enjoy some beers and mojitos and people watch all day. Thanks to some of his sources, he knew that Sam was in Oregon somewhere with his girlfriend Elsa, and agents were supposedly protecting them and Jesse. It reminded him of the car down the street. Every day it sat there with the same guys in it watching the house. Did they ever get some sleep? Did they go home, take a shower and change? It seemed as if they wore the same suits every day and never left the same space.

He gave them a grin and a wave, just to tick them off. Why they even bothered to pretend anymore was beyond him. Virgil took the mail inside, rifling through the junk mail and bills, keeping the large envelope for last despite the fact that it intrigued him.

"Virgil, was that the mail," Maddie asked, coming from the back of the house with a wash basket full of folded clothes.

"Yeah, darlin'. Nothin' but the same garbage and bills." He dropped the sorted piles on the table. "But this... this is something different." He grinned as he held it up. "It's postmarked Reno, Nevada."

"Nevada." Maddie's eyes grew wide as she gasped, and she reached for it. "Is it from Sam? Please, let me see it, Virgil!"

He gave it to her and watched as she tore into it with a letter opener. She shoved a hand inside and pulled out a piece of thick stock paper with fancy script and a gold seal at the bottom.

"What is that," Virgil asked. "Did you win something?"

Maddie turned it so she could read it, and Virgil moved to scan it over her shoulder. She read it and asked, "Who are Charles Edward Ramsey and Elaine Maureen Sawyer? This must be some mistake. It's a marriage certificate that someone mailed here by accident."

Virgil studied it intently. "The wedding took place a couple weeks ago in Reno. And it was witnessed by some guy named Peter Frahm." He looked at the signatures again, especially the one that scrawled out Charles' name. He sucked in a breath and whispered, "Sammy."

"What?" Maddie whirled to face him. "What did you say?"

"I'd know that chicken scratch anywhere," Virgil replied with a growing smile. "It's Sam's handwriting, only he's using an alias."

"Are you sure? How could you know?"

Virgil looked away for a few seconds before meeting her eyes. "Since the last time I left, I, uh, I've been corresponding with Sammy. He let me know how you were doing. When I hadn't heard from him for awhile, that's what brought me back here." He let out a breath. "That and the fact that the last time he did write, he said that something was happening. He couldn't tell me what, but he thought he might be gone for awhile and that it'd be wise for me to come back here. That is, if I didn't hear from him again for a couple months. So I did what he said."

"Virgil, I'm so glad you did. You saved my sanity," Maddie said and hugged him. "If it weren't for you, I would have gone crazy with grief when I thought Michael and Fiona were dead."

He held her and said, "I'm glad I was here when you found out different, because I think you would have ripped the head off the bearer of the news."

She nodded, then pulled away and examined the certificate. Sniffling, she asked, "Why do you think it was sent here?"

"They probably didn't want to give away their location." He whistled. "They sure went through a lot of trouble to cover their tracks. Nevada!" Shaking his head, he took the document and opened a drawer in the buffet. "We should hang onto this for when they come back."

Virgil glanced at Maddie and saw the sunny smile on her face. Talking positively was like a balm for her soul.

"Do you think this means that Sam and Elsa got married, for real?"

He nodded. "I do. When they come home, I don't know if they'll have to go through it all over again, or if the names can just be changed. The important thing is that they would be here."

"I agree." She looked misty eyed. "Until Michael and Fiona are home..."

It was time to distract her, before she dissolved into tears. With a grin, Virgil said, "Say, why don't we have a little fun? Let's go to the beach."

"That would be nice." Maddie's smile widened. "It's always fun to see those agents try to walk through the sand in those dress shoes." She let out a short laugh. "I'll go get my suit on and be right back."

"I'll be waiting, darlin'." When she was out of hearing, Virgil let out a deep sigh.

He glanced at the paper one more time and envisioned what it must have been like for his friend to marry the woman of his dreams with no one but one other person to witness it. Was it Jesse? If so, what happened to the two agents who were with them? So many unanswered questions swirled in his head. Virgil took his mind off them and focused on the fact that Sam was married. He vowed that when everyone was home, he and Maddie would put on a party for the couple and make sure they'd never regret that they missed family being there for one of the most important days of their lives.

The drawer had a false bottom, one he installed himself. It would be nearly impossible for the agents to find the certificate inside. He secured the bottom and closed the drawer, and when Maddie came downstairs, they went to the beach.

* * *

The sun peeked over the trees, showing its brilliance and announcing another day. They hadn't seen much of it through the winter, and it reminded Sam of Michigan just a little bit except that Oregon wasn't quite as cold. He spent a good part of his growing up years in Michigan. For almost six months now he'd taken on the alias of Charles Edward Ramsey, and it fit him, but he would gladly shuck it in a heartbeat if only things would clear up and he, his wife Elsa, and friend Keith would no longer be in danger.

"Morning, Sam," Keith greeted him as he joined him on the deck and held out a cup of fresh coffee. "How's Elsa doing?"

"Still sick." Sam took a sip of the fresh brew and hiked a foot up on the lower rail that ran around the perimeter of the deck. "I'm afraid she picked up something in town."

"That's the price we pay for trying to blend in," Keith declared. "So glad spring seems to be here. Maybe people will start getting healthy again."

"Maybe." Sam sighed and fell silent, his eyes scanning the wooded horizon. A deer walked along the valley floor, oblivious to the two men who watched from above.

"You're lucky you're not in season," Keith muttered and smiled as he pantomimed a rifle. "Why couldn't we get easy shots like that last year?"

"I think they know somehow." Pointing with his coffee cup, Sam said, "That guy's probably doing a deer version of giving you the finger." He laughed, the sound echoing through the trees, causing the deer to look upward and lock on them. The animal weighed the danger, sniffed, and went on his way at a casual pace. "Oh yeah, he thinks he's king. Did you see that rack on him?"

"Meh, I've seen better on a..."

"Shh." Sam turned at the sound of the door opening, and when he saw that it was Elsa, he gave her a warm smile. "Hey baby, are you okay to be up and around?"

Elsa approached shuffling her feet with a thick blanket wrapped around her. If anyone looked her in the eye, they wouldn't think she was ill, but her face was pale. She'd run a brush through her hair to try to make herself look more presentable, but it didn't help how she felt.

"Sam, I'm so tired of lying around. But I can't do anything."

"Come here, pumpkin," Sam said and curled an arm around her shoulders. He handed Keith his cup and enveloped her completely. "Maybe we should take you to the doctor, although it's too late for him to give you a round of Tamiflu. You're almost over this."

"I don't feel like I'm almost over it," she grumbled and pushed away from him. Bunching up the blanket in her hands, she became contrite. "I'm sorry. I don't know what's gotten into me. I'm so moody."

"You're sick," Keith excused. "I know you guys don't wanna see me when I'm sick. I'm like a big whiny baby." He drank from his cup. "Sam's right, we should take you into town and get you checked out."

"I suppose there's no sense in voting." She pouted. "Fine, I'll get dressed." She shuffled back inside, her slippers scuffing on the wood planks.

"Wow." Keith finished off his coffee. "You want a refill, man?"

"No, I'm good." He followed Keith inside the house, heading toward the stairs to take care of Elsa. The phone rang, and he detoured to the kitchen to pick it up. "Hello?"

"Mr. Ramsey, this is Henry Devine. You don't know me, but you and your friend Pete came highly recommended by Larry Weeks, the owner of the hardware store."

"Oh yeah, Larry. Well, Mr. Devine, what can we do for you?"

"I've been burglarized a couple times over the past month. And before you say anything, yeah, I went to the police. All they do is take a statement, they write up a report, and nothing happens."

Concerned, Sam asked, "What are they taking?"

"The usual. Oxycodone mostly, Vicadin, a few other things." Mr. Devine paused. "I've had miscounts before on an irregular basis. You know, human error. This time, however, someone came in and took my entire inventory of Oxycodone and Oxycontin."

"Pete and I need to go into town anyway. We'll stop in and see what we can do."

"Thank you so much, Mr. Ramsey! I don't know what we did before you fellas came along. The cops are too lazy to do their jobs right, and if it weren't for you, there'd be chaos in no time."

Sam smiled. "I don't think it would be that bad, but hey, thanks for the vote of confidence." It had started with one crime several months earlier, and before long Sam and Keith became the go-to guys when the citizens of Hope needed someone to handle a problem. It was hardly conducive to remaining on the down-low, but so far no one outside the community had taken any interest in their extracurricular activities. When people began paying them for their services in cash, it was hard to say no.

Getting involved helping the little guy, that's what made Sam's blood pump. Not this running away from the corrupt CIA crap. Sam set up a time to meet, and he hung up the phone as he informed Keith of their appointment. "We can take Elsa to the doctor and while she's being looked at, we'll talk to Mr. Devine. We'll probably need to get some prescription filled at his place, anyway."

"Good idea, Sam. You should probably check on her."

Sam went upstairs, knocked before entering, and found Elsa sitting on the bed, half clothed and holding her stomach. She had the most pitiful expression on her face when she looked at him. "Oh, honey," Sam commiserated and approached her. "Here, why don't you lay back and I'll dress you. Okay?"

She nodded, fell onto the rumpled bed and threw an arm over her eyes as she began to cry. This was so unlike her, her behavior was alarming. He wanted to tell her it was okay, that she didn't have to cry, but he knew it would be useless. Instead, he threaded her legs into a pair of jeans and pulled them up to her backside, then picked her up enough to get them to her waist where he could fasten them.

"Stay up, just until I get your shirt on."

It was going to be a warmer day, so Sam tugged a t-shirt over her head. The bright pink gave her some color, but it didn't improve the expression on her face. Unable to help himself, and knowing he'd been exposed to her enough by now that if he was going to get sick, he would have contracted her flu, Sam took her into his arms as he sat on the edge of the bed.

"I'm sorry I'm such a lump," she mumbled into his chest and sniffled.

He couldn't help but chuckle at her description. "It's okay. Just wait til I get sick some day, and then you can take care of me." For a moment he left her alone while he retrieved a brush from the dresser. "Turn a little so I can brush your hair." He ran the bristles through the tangles.

"Mmmm, I love it when you do that."

He brushed until a smile appeared on her face and the last of the snarls were gone. Then he pulled her hair up into a ponytail and fastened it with an elastic band. "Your hair is getting really long, you know that?"

She nodded. "I kind of like it."

"Me too." He kissed the back of her exposed neck and said, "You ready to go?" She nodded.

Elsa clung to him as he helped her down the stairs and into the back of the SUV. He and Keith sat up front, and Sam drove. He looked at the house in the rearview mirror as he drove away. It had become a habit every time he left the property. At his insistence, a couple days' worth of clothes were tucked into cases and hidden in the cargo area in the vehicle on the off chance that they would have to bug out on the fly. It kept them from getting too comfortable and lowering their guard. This day was no different.

Sam dropped Elsa off at the doctor's office and made sure she would be seen before he accompanied Keith to the drug store. He emerged from the office and a large, reddish brown dog came from nowhere and rushed at him, forcing Sam to back up against the wall.

"Hey, what's with this dog," Keith asked. He lunged for the collar and missed, the animal sidestepping him to focus on Sam.

The dog barked at him, but he didn't charge. Sam locked eyes with him, and he stopped barking. The two stared at each other for a long time, until finally the dog looked away, whining. He licked his chops and bowed his head, then slunk away to the woods behind the doctor's office.

"What was that all about," Sam asked and shook his head, staring at the dog as it trotted into the stand of evergreens. "That was too weird."

"I thought he was gonna attack you or something," Keith exclaimed, still shaken by the dog's actions. He slipped his jacket up to expose his side arm. "I almost pulled this out."

"No need for that." Sam shook his head. "He must have thought I was his owner or something."

"Dogs do not do that to their owners," Keith protested.

"What can I say? I've always been more of a cat person. Maybe he detected that," Sam joked. He took a step forward. "Come on, we've got business to take care of."

Like most of the shops on the main street, a bell on the door announced their arrival. A voice from behind the back counter called, "Be right with you!" Mr. Devine came out from an area stocked full of boxes and large bottles of pills and other medicines. He spied the two men and smiled. "Gentlemen, it's good to see you! Come on back and let me show you the scene of the crime."

Keith and Sam glanced at each other and followed him to the store room. He stopped at a shelf and looked down. Small bins lay scattered on the vinyl flooring, a couple of glass bottles lay broken and leaking drugs, the contents seeping into the cracks.

"This is what I found when I arrived." He pointed to the mess. "I looked around for an entry point, but the lock wasn't broken on the back door. I can't imagine anyone could get out the front without leaving the store unlocked." He shook his head in bemusement. "I just don't know how this could have happened."

Sam checked out the back door, examining the knob and locking mechanism without touching it. "Hey, Mr. Devine, do you have any activated carbon?"

"Why yes, I do." He looked at Sam strangely. "What do you need it for?"

The corner of Sam's mouth tipped up into a smile. "Watch, and you'll see. I'll also need a brush of some kind and some clear tape."

Mr. Devine obtained everything Sam asked for while Keith looked around the store for a possible exit. He watched both men with fascination and wariness. Everyone who had hired them sang their praises, but he was still unsure. Sam put his fears to rest as he dusted the knob and lock with the powder and lifted prints with the tape.

"I'll have to get the prints of everybody who works here to be sure we can determine whether these prints belong to them or our thief." He eyed Mr. Devine. "Unless one of your employees did this."

"Oh no, I can't believe that. I have a couple of high school kids who work here after school, but they're good kids. They don't get into drugs, really!"

Sam pursed his lips. "When do they come in?"

"After school." Mr. Devine wrung his hands.

"We'd like to talk to them, but don't tell them when they come in." Sam straightened and picked up the impressions. "We'll take these and get a sample of your prints now, and when we come back later today, we'll get everyone else's."

"Then you'll catch who did this, if someone's fingerprints match."

"Yes. But we'd need more evidence than that." Sam glanced at the corners. "I would suggest getting some cameras in here to record who comes and goes. Get some that work in low light and keep some illumination in here for security. Next time, you'll have them on tape." He paused and held up a finger. "And whatever cameras you set up, make sure they're not easily visible and can be tampered with."

"Thank you, Mr. Ramsey, Mr. Frahm. I guess this is what happens when a small town starts getting big."

"Unfortunately, it's just the way of the world," Keith responded. "I didn't see any way that someone could get out of here without avoiding leaving evidence that they broke in."

"I know what you're thinking," Sam said. "Mr. Devine, we'll be back at about four. Will that be good?"

"Perfect. Thank you!"

On the way to the doctor's office, Sam said, "I'm thinking this was an inside job. One of those kids, maybe helping a friend get easy access to drugs."

"If that's the case, just fingerprints wouldn't be enough," Keith said. "We'll have to interview them, find out about their friends, and go from there."

"Yeah, that's what I was thinking." Sam looked ahead toward the office and saw Elsa standing outside, taking in the fresh air and smiling at him, but the expression was shaky.

"Hey baby, how are you? What did the doc say?" He was surprised when she launched herself into his embrace and pressed close. With an arm around her shoulders, he asked, "What is it? What's wrong?"

Looking up at him with tears in her eyes, she replied, "I'm pregnant."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"Say what?" Numbness and disbelief struck Sam like a lightning bolt streaking from the sky.

"I said, I'm pregnant," Elsa replied with a look between happiness and disappointment. She pasted on a shaky smile and said, "At least now we know why I've been so sick and moody."

"Yeah, but…." Sam looked around as if at any moment a camera would come popping out of a bush along with someone telling him it was all a joke. Seeing no relief, he whispered, "A baby? Really? We're gonna have a baby?"

"Yes, we're really going to have a baby. Honey, why is that so hard to comprehend?"

"I'm sorry. I just didn't expect something like this. I mean… I thought…." He ended with a groan, running a hand through his hair and staring up at the sky in hopes of some kind of divine intervention to give him the right words to say. When he returned his gaze to Elsa's he saw tears in her eyes and he felt like a complete jerk. So many thoughts and emotions raced through his mind, swinging between ecstatic and horror at the possibility of being on the run with a child.

"I had hoped that maybe you'd be happy, just a little bit. I guess that was just wishful thinking on my part." She sniffled, spun on her heel and hurried to the SUV.

"Oh man," Keith breathed. "I don't even know what to say, buddy." He clamped a hand on Sam's shoulder. "I think you better talk to her when we get back to the house. I'll, uh, make myself scarce for awhile."

"Thanks... Pete." Sam was so distressed by this news, he almost forgot to use Keith's alias in public.

"I'll drive." Keith held out his hand for the keys, and said, "We should really get a second set of these, just in case. When we come back this afternoon, we'll stop at the hardware store."

"Good idea." Sam's mind was still frozen in shock mode. He slipped into the passenger seat and felt Elsa's eyes boring through the back. If she had laser beams in her eyes, he'd be cooking from the heat. No one said a word, and when the three arrived, Elsa hurried to the house without letting Sam open the car door for her.

"Oh, you're in deep, pal," Keith declared with a sympathetic tone. "Times like this, I'm glad I'm unattached."

"Gee, thanks. That makes me feel so much better." Sam entered the house and found Elsa in the kitchen. She stood at the counter with a glass of milk and a pill bottle on the counter. He stepped up beside her and asked, "What's that?" He nodded at the bottle.

"Vitamins. The doctor prescribed them for me. When these run out, I have a prescription for more," Elsa responded with a soft, sad voice. She hesitated. Picking up the glass, she threw her head back, tossed the pill into her mouth, and took a long swallow of milk. She set the glass on the counter. "I'm sorry I've disappointed you."

"Hey, hey, hey, none of that." Sam grabbed her arm and spun her to face him. With both hands massaging her upper arms and a tender look just for her, he said, "I'm sorry, Elsa, that I wasn't excited about you being pregnant. It's... risky... on so many levels. I don't think I can even count all the ways…."

"Try it, Sam," she challenged him.

He swallowed. "Okay. Reason number one: we're still in hiding and may have to take off at the drop of a hat. What if you're close to delivery? And what if the baby is already born? It's not easy to just up and leave with someone who is totally dependent upon you."

"Yes, but we'll make it work somehow, if we have to." She stared at him. "Is that it? Is that all that's bothering you?"

Sam shook his head. "Reason two: aren't we a little old for kids? You've been a mother. Evan is in his twenties, he's old enough to have his own kids."

"What difference does that make?"

He ignored the question and continued, "Reason three: I'm afraid this will jeopardize your health. Having a baby at your age is dangerous... baby."

She huffed and pulled from his grasp. "Thanks for reminding me I'm old, Sam!"

Sam groaned again. He was digging himself an even deeper hole. "I think I'm out of reasons not to have this baby, other than this… I'm scared, Elsa. I've never been a dad, and I'm not sure… I don't know if I'll be any good at it."

"Oh, Sam," she cooed and put her arms around his shoulders, bringing his forehead to hers as she spoke. "I'm scared too. I didn't exactly plan this. I thought I was beyond the chance of getting pregnant, so it's my fault. I wasn't taking precautions like I should have. I'm sorry for getting mad at you." She smiled, kissed him, and added, "You underestimate yourself, Sammy. I think you'll be a great father."

"I don't know what to do," he said. "My dad wasn't around much, and when he was…." He shook his head. "He looked out for me, but I always felt like I was an inconvenience. I don't want our kid to feel that way."

"He or she won't." Elsa caressed his face. "You've got a lot of love in you, Sam. You're going to adore this child, I just know it. And you're very protective. My biggest fear is that if it's a girl, you'll be one of those shotgun dads."

Sam laughed, the tension disappearing from his face and body as he pulled her close. "I think you may be right." The two enjoyed the closeness and warmth, but eventually, duty called. "I should go see what Keith's up to."

"Yes. I'm going to make myself a little snack. The doctor said I should have something light if I feel queasy. You guys want anything?"

"Thanks, but I think we're good." He kissed her forehead, pulled back and looked at the love in her eyes, along with a little spark he hadn't seen before. Smiling, he pecked her on the tip of her nose and moved to her lips. With a whisper, he said, "I love you, Em."

"Love you too, Eddie." They were back in character with Sam and Elsa lurking in the wings. Now and then, when they were alone, they used the names in an effort to prevent them from forgetting when they were in town. Using their real names would, at the very least, confuse the people who knew them. At the worst, it could bring them unwanted attention.

After a snack of crackers and peanut butter, Elsa felt well enough to do some housework. Sam and Keith had done their share to keep the place relatively neat, but it needed a woman's touch. She worked on the lower level dusting, vacuuming, and washing the windows. The living area was wall to wall glass and sliding doors along one wall, giving them an almost barrier free view of the woods. She sprayed the panes with window cleaner and rubbed away the thin layer of dust and dirt, lost in her thoughts. Would they have a boy or a girl? Would the child look more like her or Sam, or be a nice mix of their genes? She formed a picture in her mind of a girl with her reddish brown hair and Sam's brown eyes. And his smile. She wanted her to have that adorable smile with the dimple.

In the afternoon, Keith and Sam went to town to interview the two teens, and Elsa accompanied them. She was feeling much better, now that she knew how to combat the queasiness. The men went straight for the drug store's office where Mr. Devine said he would detain the employees. Two girls sat in the office looking nervous when Sam and Keith entered the small room.

"Hi, my name is Pete Frahm and this is my friend Chuck Ramsey," Keith said with a friendly smile, and the girls returned the smile and gave him a good once-over. "We just wanna ask you some questions about your jobs. My friend Chuck is going to take some fingerprints." Seeing their alarm, he assured them, "It's just to rule you out as suspects, that's all."

"Who wants to go first," Sam asked.

"I suppose I will," one girl said with a resigned tone.

"What's your name," he asked.

"Iris Cody," she answered. "Don't my parents like have to be here to authorize this?"

"Do we have any reason to suspect either of you was involved in the robbery," Sam countered.

"I know I didn't do it," Iris responded with a defiant look in her eyes.

He smiled. "Well then, you don't have any reason to be concerned, do you? In my experience, the ones who protest the most have something to hide, so if you're clean, you've got nothing to get up in arms over. Right?"

The girl sat up straighter and in a more confident voice answered, "Right. Ask away."

Sam set up his impromptu printing station while Keith asked the questions. "Were you both working last night," he asked.

Iris held out her left hand, and Sam inked her and pressed her fingers onto a heavy bond paper. She replied, "Nina and I worked until closing like we do every night. We lock up, sweep the floors, and just make sure everything is in order before we leave."

"Do you touch the drugs," Keith asked, his eye on Nina.

Nina shook her head. "We don't do anything with the drugs. Maybe if something fell off a shelf we would put it back, but that's as far as it goes."

"Do you have friends who think it's cool that you work at the pharmacy, and have any of them asked you to help them get some things?"

"We know kids who are stoners, but I wouldn't give them the time of day," Nina responded with a confident, forceful tone.

"Same for me. I want to go to school and become a pharmacist. I'm not going to do something stupid to mess that up," Iris said.

Sam finished printing Iris and handed her a wipe. "Thanks for cooperating."

She plucked it from his fingers and scrubbed at hers. "I don't know why the cops won't investigate this. They're so useless. And then they wonder why we don't have any respect for them."

"We meaning…." Keith began.

"People my age," Iris answered and shook her head to move a lock of hair out of her eyes, and a thoughtful expression crossed her face. "Did you guys ever talk to Will Bennett? His dad is a cop, but that kid is always in trouble. He's a stoner, and I think he does harder stuff."

"We wouldn't know for sure, since we don't hang out with those kids," Nina added. She held out her hands for Sam to print. "His dad has a master key that'll open practically every shop in town. I know, 'cause I heard him bragging about it one day. If Will got a hold of it, he could easily get into the shop without needing to break in."

"That's very helpful, Nina," Sam said with a smile. "Thanks." He finished printing her and cleaned up the counter where he worked. "If we have any more questions, we'll be back. Is that okay?"

"Sure," Iris said. "We just want to help." Her eyes landed on Keith, and her smile brightened. "Good luck finding whoever did this."

"Thanks." Keith looked self-conscious at the attention she gave him and left the back room.

The girls glanced at each other and giggled. Iris said to Sam, "Tell your friend we think he's hot."

Sam, not facing the girls, rolled his eyes while replying in a non-commital tone. "I'll make sure he gets the message. If you two think of anything else that might help, just let Mr. Devine know and he'll give us a call. Okay?"

"Sure thing."

Biting his lip was the only cure to laughing out loud at the girls' reaction to Keith. He was old enough to be their father. Didn't they realize that? But Sam had seen some of the town's male specimens around the girls' age, and he could understand the attraction. Those boys had a lot of growing up to do. He exited the drug store and his eyes locked on the big dog standing beside Keith, who was scratching him behind the ears. The dog stood with his head tilted up, eyes closed, enjoying the attention. His nose sniffed the air, and his eyes flew open and the barking began all over again. This time, Keith was able to grab the collar and hang on.

"What is with this dog and you, Eddie," Keith asked.

"Knock it off," Sam yelled at the dog, and to his surprise, the animal backed off and bowed his front end in submission. Straightening, Sam smirked and said, "Well, how about that? Maybe he does think I'm his master."

"And he's chewing you out for leaving him on the streets for how long," Keith suggested. "Maybe we should keep him."

Sam gave Keith a withering look. "You know that's not possible. Come on, leave the dog alone. We've got work to do." Sam headed up the street a few blocks to the police station.

Following him and falling into step, Keith asked, "Why are we going here?"

"We need someone to match these prints for us, right?" Sam held up the evidence that he placed in a zip bag. "Unless you can hack into the FBI servers and we scan these prints into the computer, there's no way we'll be able to do it on our own."

"Oh yeah, like we're just gonna walk in there and ask to get access to the FBI files," Keith scoffed.

With a look of disgust at Keith's lack of faith in his abilities, Sam said, "Just watch." He touched the station's door handle and noticed the dog had followed them. "Oh brother," Sam muttered. To the dog, he shouted, "Go home!"

The dog sat on his haunches and gave Sam a doggy smile.

"That dog is a psycho," Sam muttered and entered the building.

The station was small, consisting of the lobby and a few rooms in back. A woman worked the switchboard and the radio, and when she saw the two men she gave them a friendly smile. "Hello, is there something I can help you with, gentlemen?" Her eyes roved over Keith and Sam equally, sparkling with pleasure.

"We're hoping you can," Sam replied with a warm smile of his own, the kind that usually worked on women tougher than this one. He had a suspicion this one would be way too easy. "I'm Chuck Ramsey and this is my friend Pete Frahm. We need some assistance. We have these fingerprints but no way to access the database to try to match them. Do you think you could help us with that?"

She pressed her lips together and shook her head. "I'm sorry, guys. We can only let officers have that kind of access. I could give your evidence to a detective and he could look for you." She frowned, recognition dawning. "Hey, you're those back alley investigators we've been hearing about."

"Yes, we are. Is there a law against private detectives around here," Sam asked with an innocent tone.

"No, not if you have a license, and I'm pretty sure you guys don't."

"We're working on it." Keith lied. "Look, we're working on a break-in at Devine's Drug, and..."

"Oh, I know about that," the woman replied with a hand flapping in dismissal. "Detective Garvin is working on it, so if you have some evidence, you should turn it over to him."

"We were hired by Mr. Devine to handle this because the local police didn't seem to be doing anything about it," Sam declared, measuring his words. "Perhaps if we spoke with this detective we might have a meeting of the minds and get everything straightened out."

The woman looked up at the two men, her eyes sliding from Sam to Keith and back again. "I'll let Detective Garvin know you're here to see him." She hit a button and spoke into her headset.

"We're not handing this over to some incompetent who thinks he's a detective just because he's been around the cop shop awhile," Keith muttered to Sam.

"I have no intention of just letting this go. We'll solve this, and if it requires the assistance of the local cops for a bit, well, we'll suck it up and use them." Sam saw a man standing in the doorway, wearing a suit jacket whose fabric would have looked better on a couch, with ugly brown pants and matching shoes. Stepping forward with an outstretched hand, Sam grinned and said, "Hey, Chuck Ramsey. You must be Detective Garvin."

"Yes, Mr. Ramsey, I'm Detective Dave Garvin. I hear you've got some evidence from the drug store break-in. Care to share?"

"Let's talk about that, shall we?" Sam glanced at the receptionist, who was busy answering a call.

"Sure. Come on in to my office," Det. Garvin said and led them to a small cubicle crammed with four others in a large room. He indicated two chairs in front of his desk. "Have a seat."

"Thanks." Sam sat and said, "Now look, we don't wanna step on anyone's toes. It's just that Mr. Devine felt that a private investigator could more readily assist. I'm sure you're really busy and don't have time to deal with everything that comes across your desk. So, if you can just give us access to a computer with permission to tap into FBI records, we'll get our evidence analyzed and be out of your hair."

The man didn't have a lot of hair to get into, but that was beside the point. Det. Garvin smiled. "You really think I'm going to let two yahoos, relative strangers to this community, waltz in here and access FBI files? I could lose my job over that, and I kind of like where I'm at right now. No way."

"Well then maybe you can do the accessing for us," Keith suggested. "You help us with this, maybe we can take care of one of your cases that's, I don't know, just kind of hanging around unsolved."

The detective was thinking about it. Sam could see it in his expression. "I've got one here that's been driving me almost insane." He dug through a small pile of files and pulled out one, then slipped it across the desk. Sam picked it up and opened it. "It's a missing kid. His name is Charlie Ford. One day, he disappeared from a home for orphans that's just up the way on Charter Road. A bunch of nuns run the place, and they do a good job." He sighed. "This kid, though, he was troubled. We're thinking he's just a runaway and unless he shows up on somebody's radar, he'll never be found. He's been put into the system, FBI, the works, but it's like he fell off the face of the earth."

"With the terrain out here, didn't you call in a search party, choppers, dogs, et cetera?" Keith asked as he tried to read over Sam's shoulder.

"For an orphan kid? The sheriff's department did a cursory search of some of the valleys around here, but..." He trailed off, a flush of embarrassment tinting his cheeks. "I'm sorry, we're not like some big city department. We don't have a lot of resources. As it is, I'm the only detective here, and I don't have enough time to investigate everything that crosses my desk." He sighed.

Sam tapped the folder in his palm and handed it to Keith. In an understanding tone, he said, "We'll go talk to the Sisters and see if they can give us anything new. If you help us, we'll take this one off your hands." Sam's eyes bored into the detective, hoping his deal would work.

"Okay, fine. Come with me." He led the two to one of the cubicles that served as a computer room, and he pushed a couple chairs up to a terminal. "I just have to log in here, and then we'll scan in your prints."

"First we want to rule out the employees and owner from any of the prints collected from the doorknob and other locations in the pharmacy," Keith said.

"Which we also photographed," Sam added.

Garvin nodded. "You boys know your stuff."

"We both worked for the government at one time," Sam replied without giving too much away. "Neither of us has clearance anymore." That may or may not have been true. Sam just knew that if he tried to log in, it would send red flags up to the agency and the CIA hounds would be on them in no time.

"So you probably know how to get into the FBI site." Garvin tapped at the keyboard, clicked the mouse, and opened a program that would assist with scanning the prints. He ran them through a scanner, and the prints appeared on the screen. After sifting through them, the program came up with a set that didn't match any of the samples Sam had taken. "Bingo, we have some rogue prints," Garvin said with a hint of excitement. "Now I'll get into the FBI database and the state's DB and see if we can find a match."

Despite his efforts to hide his keystrokes, Keith and Sam kept an eye on Garvin's hands as he typed out the user name and password to the site. Garvin submitted the prints and sat back in his seat.

"Hey, anybody want some coffee," he asked.

"Sure. We'd love some," Keith replied. "Black, just cream for me."

"Just black for me," Sam answered.

"I'll be right back. This'll take a little while." He got up from his seat, glanced at the two men for a moment, weighing the wisdom of leaving them there.

Sam stood. "How about I go with you? Pete'll keep an eye on the search."

With Sam and Garvin out of the room, Keith took advantage of a golden opportunity. He rolled his chair to the terminal sitting next to the one that was busy, and he logged into the FBI servers using the same user name and password that Garvin entered. Hopefully it wouldn't kick him out for trying to log in a second time with the same information. He held his breath, and when the FBI logo appeared with a welcome to the site, he let it out in a slow whistle. Then his fingers flew over the keyboard, praying that Sam gave him enough time to find what he sought.

After awhile, Keith heard Sam's laughter down the hall and he knew time was running out. He logged out and turned off the computer, returning to his place in front of the other screen by the time Sam and Garvin entered the room.

"Any hits yet," Garvin asked.

"Nothing," Keith replied as he took the coffee from Sam and reclined in his chair.

"This could take a long time, guys. You know that." Garvin glanced at them and sat in his chair, placing his coffee cup to the side.

A box flashed on the screen and the search halted.

"What's that say," Sam asked as he looked over Garvin's shoulder. "It found a match. Great!"

"Yes. Let's see what we have." Garvin clicked the mouse and a rap sheet came up. He let out a deep breath. "This guy."

"Who is this?" Sam read the name aloud. "Raymond Avery. Is there something special about him?"

"He's a drifter," Garvin explained. "He spent time out in the woods, living in a run down cabin somewhere, according to some folks. He's a strange one." Shaking his head, he continued, "He disappeared not long before Charlie went off the radar."

"Do you think there could be a correlation to the disappearance," Keith asked. "If these are Avery's prints, that means he didn't 'disappear' as people thought. He's around, and he's ripping off the pharmacy for some reason."

Garvin sighed. "Well, until we can find Avery, it's all up in the air, fellas."

"Can you give us a printout of this information," Sam asked. "It might help us find him and the kid, and we'll wrap up two cases at once if they're interrelated."

"Seems awfully strange to me, but hey, knock yourselves out."

"I really hate to think this, but..." Keith hesitated. "Does this guy have a history of child abuse?"

"He's never been charged with it. The only reason he's in the FBI files is that he had an arms charge." Garvin hit the print button and handed Sam the output. "There you go, guys. If you need anything, just let me know, okay?"

Sam noticed the regret in his eyes. "It bothers you that you haven't been able to find the kid, huh?"

"Yeah. He's just ten years old, alone, and vulnerable. I'm not proud of the fact that he wound up on the bottom of my inbox. I just ran out of anything that could pinpoint where he is." Misery darkened Garvin's hazel eyes as he spoke.

"We'll see what we can do," Sam said and clapped a hand on his shoulder as he stood. "And we'll keep you informed if we find anything pertinent to his case."

"Thanks, Ramsey, Frahm."

"You can call me Chuck," Sam said with a grin, waved, and walked out with Keith.

"Good work, Sam," Keith muttered as the two left the station. "Now we have two cases to deal with."

"If they're both related somehow, it won't be so bad."

"That's a big 'if'." Keith shook his head.

"Yeah, but something tells me that if we find Avery, we'll find Charlie." All the way to the SUV where Elsa waited, Sam kept an eye out for the dog. He was nowhere to be seen. They reached the SUV and got in. "When we get back to the house, I want to take a little walk in the woods behind our place. Elsa, honey, are you up for it?"

"Sure." Looking puzzled, she asked, "Why do you want to take a walk in the woods?"

Sam answered, "There've been some nights when I've smelled woodsmoke, but we don't have any neighbors nearby. We've been here quite awhile now and we've never run a perimeter check of the property. It's about time I did and checked out if we have any squatters."

"We don't know how far back the property goes," Keith responded. "You need backup?"

"Hey, I've got Elsa." Sam winked.

"You know I can handle myself, Keith. Granted, I've been incapacitated lately, but I'm feeling better now." She stared at him between the seats. "I want to help."

"We'll be fine. I'll also take some hardware with me and one of those walkie talkies we bought," Sam answered. "Say, did you find anything on the cops' computers?"

"Using the gateway to the FBI, I was able to hack into the CIA for just a minute, trying to look for something on Dani and Jesse." He sighed. "I came up empty, but I was able to get Raines' phone number. I'll call him on the burner phone and see if he can tell me anything."

"It's been way too long. Dani and Jesse should have come back by now, or at least let us know where they are." Sam paused, hating what he was thinking. "Unless they've also been taken by whomever has Mike and Fi."

Keith faced Sam. "That was my thought, too. I hope we're wrong about that."

Glancing from the road for just a moment, Sam replied, "Yeah. Me too."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Michael didn't know what day it was, much less the month or the year. It seemed as if he and Fiona had been held captive for a lifetime. In the beginning, he was still weak and in pain from the near fatal gunshots he suffered. The CIA took good care of them, for once in his entire career with the agency. Never mind that the ulterior motive was to wring information from the couple. Instead of the answers they wanted, he gave them the truth: Card was dirty, he burned Michael, and because of him he'd found himself in an unending spiral out of control.

He recalled that fateful day when their escape was only a hundred yards away. The first bullet hit him, and Michael stumbled to the pavement calling, "Fi!" With horror he watched her body flail and drop, pain etched in her eyes before she scrunched them closed. He rolled to his side to try to shield her, and he saw Riley looking at them with a grimace of hate and cold revenge frozen on her face. Beyond her, Sam called out as he stopped running toward the scene.

"Mike!"

He couldn't answer. Another bullet struck him and caused him to shriek in pain. Sam's face turned dark and he took another step toward Riley. Michael couldn't ever remember seeing such hatred or such a hard expression on his face before, or maybe he'd forgotten about those days in Eastern Europe. For the past several years, Sam had been like a gentle giant, tough when necessary, but a real softie who's biggest concern was what to drink or which woman to scope out. Until Michael dragged him down into that dark hole. Now he approached Riley with his gun raised and a purpose in his eyes. She saw him in her peripheral vision and spun, but it was too late. With her gun raised, Sam scowled and pumped two bullets into her head. She wasn't expecting that, but then neither was Sam as her men mowed him down. It was the last thing Michael saw.

"Sam, I'm sorry," Michael whispered, blinking as fast as a strobe light in a disco. But this was no dance club. He was in a cell with metal walls and only a barred door. He sat on a cold pallet attached to the wall, a thin mattress barely keeping his butt warm. "I miscalculated. If I hadn't... you might be alive now."

He remembered the day the agents told him that Sam was dead. He hadn't cried like that since... since Nate died and he bottled up his sorrow and rage until he was alone with Fiona. The men told him that if he gave up and admitted his wrongdoings, he would soon go home. Michael didn't believe them, and besides, everything they wanted him to admit to had been a fabrication. He wouldn't lie.

"Michael, you're awake," Fiona spoke. She stood and attempted to walk across the room to sit with him.

"Fi, don't..."

"Why not?" She took a step and something rattled on the floor. Looking down, she saw the chain and shackle he pointed toward. With a heavy sigh, she turned back to her pallet. She shouted loud enough for someone outside the cell to hear. "It's freezing in here. The least they could do is give us a blanket."

"Fi, you might as well just sit down, curl up, and try to stay warm," Michael advised. He sounded so broken, but then, that was how he felt. He was just glad to feel something for the moment.

"Where are we going," Fiona asked.

"I don't know. We're on a ship, that much is certain. The last place I could identify was Angola. That was where you got sick."

She shuddered, and Michael feared that maybe she wasn't over the fever that nearly killed her. "What was it? Do you know?"

He shook his head. "I have no idea. I just know that when I thought you would die, I was screaming out your name and they... they made sure I shut up for awhile. The next thing I knew, I woke up and we were on this ship." He sighed and looked around. "I don't think we're getting out of this, Fi. There's no one. Sam is dead, who knows where Jesse is, if he's dead or alive, and we don't have any friends in the agency." He bowed his head, shaking it. "I don't know what to do anymore."

"There has to be someone who cares. Your mom..."

Raising his head, he answered with a controlled rage. "I almost got her killed, Fi. I hope that wherever she is right now, she stays there and tries to live a normal life. Unless we can figure out a way to get out of here, we're on our own."

"I'm disappointed in you, giving up so easily." Fiona stared at him in the dimness. Only an out of reach porthole gave them any light. "I've never seen you so weak. You're not the man I love, the man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with." She paused, her features distorting into a look of disgust. "You sicken me, Michael."

"Fi, no. Please! You've got to understand!" Michael held out his shackled hands toward her, but she refused to look at him again. "Fi! Fi! I can explain, just give me a chance!"

Michael opened his eyes, his chest heaving as if he'd run ten miles. He sat up and swung his legs off the bed. He started, his hands pressing down on the mattress. It was a real bed, not a pallet. With crisp white sheets and a soft blanket. His eyes wide, his head swiveled around to study the room where he was alone. It wasn't cold; as a matter of fact, it was far from chilly. Perspiration ran down his back, and the lazy ceiling fan cooled it enough to tickle his skin. When he got to his feet, he discovered that he had no shackles binding his feet either. He was free to approach the open window and look outside.

The sun blazed overhead, and he raised an arm to shield his eyes. Ahead of him lay a sapphire blue bay sparkling in the sunlight. Palms surrounded it, and closer inland, old stucco buildings scattered around the landscape. From the looks of it, he was in some place on the Mediterranean. A bustling market caught his eye below the window, a cramped space full of sound and colors flashing from the costumes of the merchants to the tents that shielded their wares from the bright light.

"Where am I? Where's Fi," he wondered aloud.

He looked north and his eyes froze on two figures he recognized. The woman kept herself hidden with a head covering that swung over part of her face, but the man accompanying her wore khakis and a cotton shirt in the style of the natives' tropical wear, his face exposed. Not exactly Sam's style, but he might have been persuaded to don something like it if the occasion arose. But it wasn't Sam, and it could never be. Sam was gone.

"Jesse." The name tumbled off his lips and ended in a short sob. He couldn't help himself. Michael sat on the window sill, brought a leg up and bent it at the knee. He was still stiff and sore, but the climate's warmth was like therapy. He wrapped his hands around his knee, grimaced at the dull sting, and waited for whatever came next.

Jesse saw him. He was certain of it when Michael noted the naked surprise on his face. Michael smiled and waved a hand, not sure if he was risking his life or theirs, but deciding that he was tired of being cautious. He would do it, and if whoever held him didn't like it, tough. They could shoot him now and let him fall into the marketplace. He stole a glance at the door when he heard a squeak, but it was only brief, and when he turned his head back to where he saw Pearce and Jesse, they were gone. Michael deflated and wondered if he was delirious, or if he was put on some drugs to make him think he saw them. He'd been dreaming of his old team a lot lately, and sometimes he wasn't sure what was real anymore.

Feeling weary all of a sudden, Michael retreated to the bed and stretched himself on it. He closed his eyes and listened to the sounds coming from the street below, but a distinct rumble of voices inside the building made his ears strain for more. He heard two men; the bass tone of their voices gave them away. A lighter, higher tone interjected. Footsteps neared, and Michael pretended to be asleep when the door opened so that he could assess the visitors before he decided how he would react.

"He looks ill," she said.

It was all Michael could do to keep his eyes closed. The woman sounded like Pearce, but until he was sure, he was staying put.

"We just saw him in the window. What'd you do to him?" Jesse's voice was accusatory.

"We didn't do anything to him," Menaro answered with a snarky tone. "We found him where the contact said he would be, and we picked him up. End of story. Ever since we brought him here, Westen's been sleeping like a baby."

"We think he was drugged with something," Bailey added. "Unless we take him to a hospital..."

"Which is way too risky," Menaro blurted.

"Yes. A hospital could run some tests and determine what's in his system," Bailey continued. "He hasn't died yet, so we're just gonna assume that whatever it is, it's working out of his system."

"Thank God you two never became doctors," Jesse remarked.

Michael sensed a presence close to the bed. Then a light pressure from a large hand on his arm, followed by a squeeze. He opened his eyes and the sight of Jesse grinning at him almost brought him over the edge and turned him into a puddle of tears.

"Hey, Mike. How are you feeling?"

"Je-Jesse." The name came out on his breath. "Is it really you?"

"It's me, man. Dani and I have been looking for you and Fi for months now," he answered with a growing smile. "We got a tip about you being in Angola."

"We're in Angola?" Michael's eyes widened and he sat up too fast. His head swam, and Jesse must have seen him waver, because he grasped Michael's arms and lay him down again.

"Take it easy. No, you're not in Angola. Just lay there and relax, okay?" He patted Michael's shoulder.

"Where's Fi," Michael asked, his eyes fixed on Jesse's. He knew his friend wouldn't lie to him. "I thought she was with me on a ship, but I don't know." He shook his head. "Nothing seems clear to me."

Jesse replied, "That's because you've been bounced around to about three different countries in the past five months. It's a long story that I don't want to saddle you with right now, so let's just get to the best part: you're free. You and Fi are free."

"We're free? Where is she? Where's Fiona?"

"She's in the next room. Dani's with her." He let out an uneven breath. "You guys have been through so much. We chased you down to Angola, and there was a guy there named Khatzak. You remember him?"

Michael had to think hard, but that name came forward slowly, like a photograph developing before his eyes. "Yes. He vowed that one day he would control me and have me begging for mercy."

"Well, I don't know how much of that came true, but he did have you and Fi up for sale to the highest bidder." Jesse paused, letting the words sink in, and then he smiled. "But we were able to scare up the funds to win the auction. Dani and I, with the agency's assistance, won your freedom."

Michael dragged an arm over his face. "Out of the frying pan into the fire. Nice."

"Not really. A lot has happened since we were almost killed. Raines is cleaning house at the agency, and as much as it seemed like the whole organization was against you, there were more loyal Americans in that bunch than rogues." He glanced at Bailey and Menaro as if to include them in the good guys, licked his lips, and said, "They're pretty much all gone, Mike. It's safe to go home now. As soon as we get word to Sam..."

"Sam? Sam's dead, Jesse. I saw him go down in a hail of bullets. I saw it with my own eyes!" He tried to keep his cool, but he couldn't believe that Jesse was trying to tell him a tale.

"Mike, hey, settle down." He pressed Michael's arms into the bed, but Michael was strong enough to push them away and sit up. He scuttled away from the bed and backpedaled toward the door with a hand up. "I don't know what you're trying to pull, Jesse... if you are Jesse. Or maybe this is one of my illusions again." His head spun and he lifted his hand to his forehead, trying to rub away the sensation.

Jesse was there, leading him to a chair. "It's okay, you're still disoriented. I get that. But I have proof."

Once Michael was settled into a comfortable seat, he watched as Jesse reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. Inside, he found something, slipping it out from behind a credit card, and holding it up. Michael snatched it from him and held it before his eyes. He had to adjust the distance of the photograph from his face until his tired eyes could focus on it.

"It's a photograph I had Keith take of us before Dani and I went looking for you. That was taken almost six months ago."

Michael's eyes blurred with tears as he zeroed in on Sam's face. He was smiling, although Michael could see pain behind his brown eyes. Next to him, Elsa was a surprise. She circled her arms around Sam and rested her head on his shoulder, and she looked relieved to be with him. Dani and Jesse appeared determined to be on their way.

"Who's Keith," Michael asked as he handed the photo to Jesse.

"No man, you keep that. Just to help you remember that Sam isn't dead," he said with a smile. "It's kind of ironic that Sam thought you and Fi were dead, and when he was in the hospital, he wouldn't let anyone convince him that what he saw wasn't quite how things happened."

"He thought Fi and I were dead?" His throat clenched. "But he knows now, right?"

Jesse shrugged. "He hopes. Not even Dani and I were certain. We were working on hearsay and intel to get to this point."

"Is he in Miami?" Michael looked at the photograph again. A two-story log home stood behind the group, and the surrounding trees were bare. "Where is this?"

"Oregon. We fled to a safe house in Oregon. It's a long story how Elsa wound up with us, but it's okay. She's doing great." The corner of Jesse's mouth tipped up in a wry smile. "Sam taught her well, and she's proving to be quite the operative."

Michael groaned, his head sinking into his hand, shaking. "It's bad enough we're in this, but to rope her into it too!"

"It's okay. They're safe as long as they stay put. Keith is there as backup." At Michael's questioning stare, Jesse answered, "He's an agent, one of the good guys. He and Sam go way back, strangely enough, and he's loyal to him and our government, not Card's people."

"Good." Michael let out a breath. "I wanna see Fi."

"We're working on that. It's my job to get you cleaned up a little, and then we'll go out to dinner." Jesse crossed the room and picked up a packet that he set down when he entered the room. "After that, we have a ship waiting to take us back to the States. It's just, uh, going to take a little while."

"Where are we," Michael asked, puzzled.

"Crete. You've racked up some miles, let me tell you." Jesse grinned. "We'll be taking a cruise to Spain, and from there we'll transfer to a freighter that'll take us to Miami. You're going home, Mike. You and Fi."

"Will Sam and Elsa be there when we get back?" He focused hopeful eyes on Jesse, but he didn't like what he saw there. "Jesse, will Sam be in Miami by the time we get there?"

"I'm hoping he will be. It all depends upon how things are in the west. The agency still has pockets of rogue resistance out there, and they're trying to find Sam."

"Then we need to commandeer a quicker way to get back. He needs our help," Michael exclaimed and jumped to his feet. Too fast. He swayed and spots danced before his eyes. He was grateful for Jesse's strong grip. "Thanks, Jess."

"Don't mention it."

"I mean it. I don't want to risk losing Sam all over again. Fi, you and I, along with Dani, we can..."

"No, Mike. Just let the agency handle this. You're not one of them anymore."

The way Jesse said it, Michael felt as if a sledge hammer had hit him in the chest. "What do you mean?" He could barely get the words out, and as it was, they sounded garbled in his ears. "I thought I was back in."

"Raines is holding off for now until the dust settles and all the rogues are captured. Then he'll talk to you." Jesse hesitated, his deep brown eyes boring into Michael's bright blues. "Are you sure you want to go back to an agency that let all this happen to you? If I were you, I'd settle back there in Miami, marry Fi, and you two join me and Sam, and we'll take on cases just like the old days."

Michael was less than convinced. He wanted back in, but on the flip side, he wasn't so sure it would be all he imagined. Jesse knew it, and to Michael's annoyance, he capitalized on it.

"Remember how it felt to help good, honest people who had nowhere else to turn? Yeah, there wasn't always a lot of money in it, but we were doing something right. Just think about that while we're cruising across the Atlantic, or hey, even the Mediterranean. You've got plenty of time to mull it over." He held out the package. "I brought you some clean clothes. Why don't you take a shower and change, and if you need anything, just holler. I'll be right here outside the bathroom, in case."

"Okay. Thanks, Jesse for saving me." He glanced at the package and held it tighter. "How much did we cost?"

Jesse chuckled. "You don't wanna know. Let's just say a lot of American taxpayers own you, buddy."

Michael nodded. It was probably best not knowing, although if he were to hazard a guess, it was most likely in the seven or eight figures. He retreated to the bathroom and was pleased to find warm, plentiful water, fragrant and soothing shampoo and soap, and a fresh razor for shaving. He had a lot of work ahead to remove the beard and mustache that had grown over the past several months.

Staring in the mirror after the final stroke of the razor removed the last of the growth, with smooth skin, his hand sliding over his jaw line and chin, it was almost hard to believe that Michael Westen stared back at him. He smiled as he realized how something as simple as a good shave made him start to feel more like himself again. A knock on the door disturbed his thoughts before they could come to the surface. He turned, opened the door and found Jesse on the other side.

"Mike, you look… like yourself," Jesse declared with a relaxed smile, although Michael sensed that he wanted to say something else. Like, you look older, man. He did, and Michael wouldn't deny it. After being injured and under so much stress, it was inevitable.

"Jesse, how long have Fi and I been in captivity?" He followed Jesse out of the room and into the hall, where his friend stopped in front of a closed door.

"Almost six months," Jesse replied, an uncomfortable, embarrassed look on his face. "I'm sorry, man, we worked so hard to find you, and we kept coming up on dead ends. And dead men who could have given us the keys to finding you."

"It's okay. I know you and Dani did your best." Michael nodded. A part of him felt anger at the loss of time, but he had an overwhelming sense of gratitude for his release. It was time to focus on the future and all that it offered, rather than dwell on what might have been.

Jesse nodded as he knocked on the door. It opened, and Dani Pearce stood in the doorway with a wide smile on her face. Her eyes slid to Michael. "Michael, you look great!"

Glancing down at the casual pants and shirt, he smiled in return. "Thanks." His main thought switched to Fiona. "Is Fi in there?"

"She is." Pearce stepped aside so Michael could see inside the room.

"Fi." It was a short syllable, but his voice butchered it, strangling on the emotion that bubbled up from deep inside of him.

Fiona threw a brush into a duffle bag sitting on the bed and turned at the sound of his voice. She seemed surprised to see him; or maybe it was that she feared she would never see him again, and there he was. Michael had been afraid that Fi was gone forever, so he couldn't blame her. The shocked expression changed to straining to hold back tears as she rushed to him. He met her inside the room, his arms pulling her in, all the while he bawled like a baby. He didn't care if it was undignified, or that he had an audience. Fiona was really in his arms, and she was just as glad to see him as he was her.

Time stood still as the couple embraced and kissed, but eventually they had to part. Jesse cleared his throat. "Um, Mike, we have to get going. Our ship sails in a half hour."

"Oh, yeah. The sooner we get out of here, the better," Michael answered. Still, he kept a tight hold on Fiona, and she on him. Jesse led them to a waiting taxi, and Pearce grabbed the luggage that the agency provided Michael and Fiona.

The couple had their own stateroom, and Jesse and Dani stayed in the adjoining room. "Let us know if you need anything," Jesse said with a smirk. "You can call room service if you don't want to go out for dinner."

"Thanks, Jesse," Michael replied with a grateful smile.

"Thank you, Jesse, for coming after us," Fiona said and stepped forward to give him a tight hug and a kiss on the cheek. "That can never be enough, but… maybe when we get back to Miami, we can repay you some other way."

Jesse shook his head. "No, Fi, just having you guys back is payment plenty. And returning to a normal life would be more than enough." He stepped through the door and as he closed the barrier between them he said, "You two behave yourselves!" His laughter rang through the closed door.

Fiona grinned when she turned back to Michael, desire, weariness, sadness, and a host of other emotions in her eyes. "I still can't believe that this is happening. That you and I are together, and we're not being hauled off to be sold to the highest bidder!" Her arms snaked around his shoulders. She held onto him, and he wrapped his arms around her.

"I… I don't even know what to say," he admitted. "I'm happy, grateful, and yet, I'm angry, not knowing how much we've missed."

"We have time to find out," she said as she sat on the end of the bed and took him down with her. "In the meantime, before we start inundating Jesse and Pearce with questions, let's just focus on us."

Her kiss left him breathless, and he pulled away to study her face as his hand caressed it, relearning all of the curves and the new lines that their ordeal had put there. "I missed you so much, Fi. I love you."

"I love you too, Michael," she whispered and took possession of his mouth, using her hand to drag him down onto the bed. Their bodies twisted and tangled, their lovemaking wild but drawn out, rediscovering what they used to take for granted.

The Do Not Disturb sign was almost a permanent fixture for the five days that they sailed, except when a waiter arrived with a cart carrying meals for the couple. Every time Jesse or Dani walked past the room and saw the sign, they smiled.

"Mark my words, Dani," Jesse said as he and Pearce went to dinner. "When we get to Miami, there's going to be a wedding. Mike would be an idiot to not get hitched to Fi, after all they've gone through."

"I agree. I'm glad they're back together and safe, but I sure wouldn't have wanted to experience everything they did."

"So we're sure they're safe," Jesse asked.

Dani nodded. "I talked to Raines yesterday. The freighter is an American registered ship, and we'll have backup on it to protect them." She looked at Jesse and said, "I'm just not sure how they'll live when they get back to Miami. There are still enemies of Michael's out there, and we can't hunt them all down."

"He'll just have to go into hiding for awhile. Maybe the government can fake his death."

"It's up to Michael how he wants to do this. We'll talk about it when we're on the way to the States." She threaded an arm through Jesse's and grinned. "For now, let's go enjoy dinner." She paused and gave him a delicious smile. "I haven't told you how… nice… you look in that tux."

Jesse glowed with her compliment. "And you look stunning in that gown. Red suits you."

"Thank you, Jesse." Dani's smile widened, and she stepped a little closer as he escorted her to the main dining room.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Before Keith and Sam arrived at the house, large flakes of snow began falling from the sky. Dark gray clouds swept in from the northwest, ominous signs of a big storm on its way. Living in Florida, Sam didn't see clouds quite like these, fat, deceptively fluffy and light, concealing the load of frozen precipitation in the form of ice and snow that clogged the roads and caused major problems for everyone. That winter, he'd learned to read them, and he knew they were in for a dumping.

"I wonder if we should go back to town and stock up for a couple days," Keith muttered. He watched the skies too and didn't like what he saw.

"Let's go home first and take stock," Sam replied.

Inside the house, quiet and stillness ruled. Sam glanced at Keith with a raised eyebrow, and the two made a cautious entry. Sam came into the living area and saw the reason for the serenity. With a tender smile, he inclined his head toward the couch. Elsa was sleeping.

"She must have worn herself out working." The scent of lemon and pine hung in the air. "Did too much today," Sam reasoned. He moved beside her, preparing to pick her up and take her to bed, when she awoke and stretched. To Sam's surprise, her right hand came from behind her back with a gun aimed at him. With wide eyes, he said, "Hey, woah! It's just me."

Her eyes met his and closed down in chagrin. She gave him a weak smile. "Sorry, Sammy. A girl can't be too careful around here."

He chuckled. "You got that right." He quickly changed the subject, because a part of his mind asked himself if she was so careful, how did she allow herself to get pregnant. Another part of his mind replied that it takes two to tango, mister. Sam shook his head to dislodge the thoughts. "Hey, Keith and I are going back to town to stock up. There's a storm coming, and we might be snowed in here for a few days. Anything we need?"

Elsa swung her legs off the couch and sat, her face registering her contemplation. "I'm sure if you check the cupboards you'll find a few things. Off-hand, I can't think of anything."

"I'll take a look," Keith said, vacating the room to leave the two alone.

Sam sat beside Elsa on the couch, put an arm around her, and asked, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I just did way too much today," she replied and smiled at him in reassurance. Caressing his face, she continued, "It's the first time in how long that I've felt sort of normal."

"I was worried about you. I'm still worried about you. You've got to be careful, that you don't overdo things with the baby on board." He kissed her temple and held her close. "I... I still can't get over it, and yet, for some strange reason, I'm ecstatic. But over everything else, I'm afraid for you and our son or daughter." As he spoke, emotion choked him. "I love you, baby."

"I love you too, sweetheart." She wrapped her arms around him and held him tight. "It's going to be okay. Women have babies all the time."

"While they're trying to hide from the CIA and face God only knows what dangers? When they're pushing fifty?"

"Oh, you had to throw my age in there to ruin a good mood, didn't you," she teased as she pushed away, and her hands took his face, framing them as she looked into his eyes. "Sam, don't worry. Whatever happens, happens. We've been protected so far. Let's just hope that continues."

Sam nodded. "My biggest fear is that something will happen to you, and I'll lose you all over again, only this time..." He couldn't finish the sentence. By the way she blinked, he knew she understood and had the same thoughts and worries. "I'm so glad you're here, Elsa. What would I do without you?"

"Your bed would be awfully cold at night," she replied with a smirk.

He laughed, cutting the sound off by capturing her lips and getting lost in her. Only Keith's throat clearing could drag him away. Over his shoulder, he shot, "What do you want?"

"I came up with a list. I'll, uh, run into town and get this stuff. You two, uh, just carry on. I'll be back real soon." The look on his face told Sam that Keith would make sure they had plenty of time alone.

"Okay," Sam said. "Be careful on those roads. You know how slippery they can get."

Keith let out a snort. "Please. I've been driving in snow worse than this for awhile now. I'll be fine." The soft bang of the door announced his departure, causing the couple to smile at each other.

"Well, now that he's gone," Sam began. "Where were we?"

Elsa giggled and put her arms around Sam's neck. "I'm not quite sure, but I think we'll figure it out." She tilted her head into his shoulder and pressed her warm lips to his, sending a spark of desire through him. He gave as good as he got, and soon she moaned, her body pressing into his coat.

"This... needs... to go," she said as her hands fumbled for the opening and pushed the heavy coat off his shoulders.

"Yeah, it is kind of hot in here," he replied, his smile tickling her lips. He unfurled his arms from her long enough to strip off the coat. The room now felt cooler, but her warmth wrapped around him made up for its loss. "Hang on a second."

"What's wrong?" She watched him rise and approach the fireplace. She started a fire in it before the men arrived home, enough time for the flames to start dying.

Sam put on some more logs, returned to the couch, and reached out to take her hand. Elsa stood, not sure what he had in mind, but she didn't have long to wait. "Come with me," he whispered, gathering her close and taking her down with him to the floor, where a plush rug lay in front of the fireplace. "I've always wanted to do this."

"Make love on a bearskin rug?" She giggled.

"I don't know what this is, if it's bear, buffalo, doesn't matter. The important thing is that I'm with you." He kissed her in a way that sent fire to her toes. When he broke the contact, he said, "I've gotta say, this is the best time I've had in hiding, ever."

She laughed and pressed into him, her hand running up his shirt to find buttons to unfasten. Underneath he wore an insulated shirt. In Florida, there were fewer barriers to his skin, but with more layers came more time to enjoy the sensations.

Being careful not to show too much skin, as an entire wall of glass exposed them to the forest and the deck, Sam removed only what was necessary, pushing aside and rearranging the other obstacles. They came together, softness and warmth with strength and passion, reveling in something they'd been missing while Elsa was sick, not knowing before then that an act like this caused it. With her crying out beneath him, Sam watched her in awe, tipping over the edge with her in a sweet communion. Cautious, he withdrew and lay beside her, his body blocking hers from the front entrance while his hand skimmed over her bare stomach, still flat. He tried to imagine what it would feel like when their child moved around inside beneath the surface, but he had no point of reference. He'd never done this before. Elsa's breath evened out as she came back to earth, and her eyes opened and she smiled at him.

"I was starting to really miss that," she said and rolled into him, throwing a leg over his and holding him close. She kissed him, ready for another round. Not that he would mind.

The door slammed, and Keith's voice rang out. "Hey, where is everybody? I'm back."

Sam and Elsa gasped as if they'd been poked in the back with an icicle. Scrambling, Sam pulled away and rearranged himself, and Elsa did the same. He threw the thermal undershirt over his head and yanked it down over his torso while kneeling. He saw Keith watching with a sly smile, and Sam's cheeks flamed. He cooled down when Keith had the class not to say something.

Helping Elsa up from the floor, grateful that her clothes were all in place, he asked, "How are the roads out there?"

"Slippery, as you'd expect. The snow is picking up." Keith spoke as he unpacked the bags. "I ran into Detective Garvin at the market. He said the report is for us to get at least a foot of snow." He glanced at Sam and Elsa from the bar where he set a few bags of groceries. "One last hurrah before spring officially kicks in, I guess."

Sam nodded and turned toward the windows. "There goes any chance of going out and checking the woods."

"Why would you want to go out there," Elsa asked.

"It has to do with a job we picked up," Sam answered as he rubbed her arm.

From the kitchen, Keith added, "Two jobs, actually. I bet you didn't tell her that, did you, Sammy?" Sam gave him a sidelong glare, causing Keith to laugh. "Don't worry. This snow might be a blessing in disguise. If someone is out wandering the property, we'll find footprints later when we do go out to look."

"You're right." He sighed as he surveyed the wall of white that fell thick enough to obscure the view beyond the deck. "I sure wish I was in Florida right now."

"Me too. But you have to admit, it is kind of pretty," Elsa said and wrapped her arms around him.

"I wonder how Maddie and Virgil are doing," Sam mused aloud. "I keep asking myself if it's safe to give them a call. Every time I'm almost there, I have the number in the phone, I stop short of hitting 'send'. I don't want to endanger them. You know?"

"I understand." She pressed closer to him. "Let's just snuggle up on the couch and watch the snow fall, and think about other things. Like... baby names."

He snickered. "It's a little early for that, don't you think?"

"It's never too early." She broke away to the kitchen and soon returned with a pad of paper and a pen. "I'll keep track of the good ones."

Sam laughed at her, but deep inside he was thankful for having such an amazing woman as his wife.

After supper, Keith retired to his room to read a book, leaving them with a secret smile for Sam. "You two kids behave yourself out here." He turned on the light in his room and closed the door, leaving the couple alone.

"Oh my, that was embarrassing earlier today, wasn't it," Elsa said as she settled into the couch with Sam. He turned it around to face the glass windows, the firelight the only illumination.

Sam curled his hands around the cup of hot cocoa she gave him and nodded. "I really didn't think he'd get back that fast."

"I think we took longer than you thought we did," she giggled, rubbing her shoulder against his. The two sat in silence slurping the hot liquid, watching the heavy flakes drop from the sky. "How many inches do you think we have out there?"

"A couple. The deck was clear before all this started, and I duct taped a ruler out there on that post, just for the fun of it, to see what we wind up with," Sam answered and pointed to it.

Despite the fact that night had fallen, the low hanging clouds reflected a little of the light coming from town, allowing them to see into the darkness. Sam thought it was beautiful, although he would have much preferred to see palm trees swaying in the breeze and not evergreen boughs laden with the white stuff.

"How much longer will we have to be here," Elsa asked in a sleepy voice. Her cup tilted, spilling cooling cocoa on Sam's shirt. He grabbed it and set it on the coffee table behind them along with his nearly empty cup.

He returned to the couch, held her up, and slipped underneath her reclining figure. "If we don't hear from Pearce and Jesse by the end of the month, I'm going to contact the agency. I don't know if Raines can be trusted, but if he's a good guy, he'll let me know what's going on." Sam shifted himself around until he lay on his side with Elsa's back against his front, and his arm wrapped around her midsection. Reaching over his head, he pulled on an afghan that stretched across the top of the couch and tugged it down on them. With the fire, the covering, and sharing warmth, neither one had a reason to complain about being cold. Sam didn't intend to fall asleep that way, but he did and so did Elsa.

In his dream, Sam saw Pearce and Jesse. They were with Mike and Fi, and all four stood on a moving platform. Then he realized that it was an ice floe heading out to open seas, and he tried to throw them a line, but it didn't go far enough. The distance between them grew, and if Sam didn't act fast, he would lose them all. So he stepped to the edge of where he stood, pushing off and sailing over the water, arms outstretched, trying to latch onto the floe. His hands grasped it, but the intense cold on his bare hands caused him to lose his grip. He hit the water, the freezing temperature permeating his skin like pins and needles. The shock sucked the air out of his lungs. He surfaced, but the floe was gone. "Mike! Where are you?" Calling out, he treaded water until his limbs refused to work anymore.

"Sam, settle down." A soft voice spoke to him, but he didn't know where the source was. He shivered and tried to hold his arms closer, but then he sank. He broke through the plane and gasped for air.

A loud bang, distinctive but not like gunfire, woke him as the couch shook. He sat up, Elsa with him.

"Sam, what was that?"

"I don't know, baby. Maybe a tree snapped and landed on the house." He put his feet on the floor, searching for his shoes with his toes.

Keith came out of his room wearing sweats and heavy socks. "What was that? Earthquake?"

"No, it was too brief. I think a tree hit the roof. I'll go out and look."

"Sam, be careful," Elsa admonished as Sam reached for his coat that was still on the other couch where he'd left it earlier.

"Don't worry, I'll go prepared." He holstered his gun and, just to make Elsa feel better, he grabbed a rifle. "No one in their right mind will be out in this tonight."

"That's what's got me worried," Elsa retorted, her arms crossed in front of her and her weight resting on one hip. "Maybe Keith should go with you."

"Elsa, no need to get paranoid," Sam protested. "I'll be fine!" He kissed her cheek and headed for the door, and his hand touched the knob as Elsa screamed. He turned and rushed back to the living area to see a figure standing in front of the sliding glass door, peering into the dimly lit interior.

Sam drew his gun, tossed Keith the rifle, and stepped up to the door, assessing the figure as well as he could in the low light. He gaped at the sight of a kid who looked ill-equipped for weather like this, dressed in jeans, a sweatshirt, and shoes, but no winter jacket. His hands clasped his arms as he shivered and stomped his feet on the decking. Sam recognized it as the sound that woke him, only now in his wakefulness it didn't sound so ominous. Unlocking the door, he slid it in the track with the hand that held his gun, and with the other he grabbed the small arm and pulled him inside. An icy wind blew in with the stumbling child, and Sam hurried to push it closed.

Before the door moved more than a few inches, another moving shadow came flying into the house, clicking and clacking along with heavy breathing. He turned, and even in the low light he recognized the psycho dog from town. The dog circled the kid once and sat on his haunches before him, and the kid laid a hand on his head.

"Hey, close that door! We're freezing," Keith exclaimed. He moved toward a lamp and turned it on as Sam finished sliding and securing the glass door.

"Okay, what is going on? What are you doing dressed like that out in the middle of nowhere," Sam asked. His eyes locked with the boy's big brown eyes. His dark hair dripped as the snow melted and sent rivulets of water down the sides of his face. Questions could come later. Right now, the kid needed to get dry and warm. Sam stuffed his pistol into his holster and came forward. "Honey, get that blanket and wrap him up. Pete, can you make some more hot cocoa?"

"Sure thing," Keith answered and hurried to the kitchen.

Elsa draped the boy's shoulders with the blanket and he clung to its ends like a life preserver. She stared at him, pity in her eyes. "I'll get him a couple towels, Eddie." She dashed off to bring some towels to dry him.

If it hadn't been such a crisis situation, Sam would have noted how easily Elsa and Keith slipped into their aliases. Foremost in his mind at the moment was helping the kid. He only intended to steer the boy toward the fire, but the second he touched his shoulder, the dog pushed himself between him and the kid. At least he didn't growl. Looking down at the boy, he asked, "Is this your dog?"

The boy looked at Sam with fear, weighing whether to answer truthfully or not.

"It's okay," Sam said, altering his tone to something softer. "If he isn't, he seems to like you and he's very protective. That's fine. Why don't you both get closer to this fire?" Sam moved to the fireplace and threw on a few more logs to get it blazing again. He patted the stone hearth. "Come on, it's okay. You'll dry off faster over here." His smile was warm as he added, "Both of you."

The first hint of emotion showed on the kid's face as he returned a small smile and shuffled to the hearth, dragging the end of the blanket behind him. The dog followed, stopped, and shook himself, splattering Sam with remnants of wet dog.

"Awwwman," Sam groaned.

The boy laughed.

Setting his hands on his hips, Sam said, "Oh, you think that's funny, huh?" He instantly regretted it when the look of mirth turned to fear and timidity. "Crap," Sam muttered and relaxed his posture. "Hey, I'm sorry, kid. I didn't mean it like... I... I'm not gonna hurt you. We're not gonna hurt you."

Elsa returned with three thick towels and set them on the coffee table. Bending at the waist, she smiled at him and asked, "Did you tell anyone your name yet?" The boy shook his head. "Well, my name is El... Elaine. This is my husband, Charles, but I call him Eddie. Our friend Pete calls him Ed." She wrinkled her nose. "Long story. Anyway, now you know who we are, what's your name?"

Staring at Sam, the kid answered, "We've kind of got the same name, mister. My name is Charlie."

The corner of Sam's mouth tipped up. He'd hoped that this might be the kid everyone was looking for, and now that his suspicion was confirmed, Sam was relieved. "You're right, we do!" Seeing Charlie's reaction, he took a chance and sat on the hearth, leaving enough room between himself and the dog to put up a defense if necessary. "What are the odds of that, huh?"

"I don't know." Charlie shook his head and wrapped his arms around the dog's shoulders. "This is Red Dog. He's my friend."

"I heard people in town call him Red Dog," Sam said.

Elsa came forward and draped a towel over the boy's head and down his back, and with gentle movements she dried his hair. He squirmed out of her grasp.

"I can do that, ma'am."

Elsa's eyebrows went up, surprised at his politeness. "Alright, you show me." She smiled and perched on the edge of the coffee table.

While Sam tried to pry information from the kid, who impressed him with his resistance, Keith dug up a flannel shirt that was way too big for Charlie, but it would do until Elsa laundered his clothes. After getting some cocoa and soup with goldfish crackers into his stomach, his eyes would barely stay open.

"We should get Charlie to bed," Elsa declared. "Come with me, Charlie, and we'll get you set up in a nice room upstairs."

"Can Red Dog come too," Charlie asked, his eyes big and hopeful.

"Of course! Wait til you see how big this bed is. You could fit yourself and two Red Dogs in it!"

To Sam's surprise, the boy gave her his hand and let her lead him upstairs. The dog whined and glanced at Sam as if he needed permission to follow. "Go on, you mutt. Charlie needs you."

Red Dog made a sound like an abbreviated bark, snapping his jaws, and trotting after Charlie and Elsa. Sam and Keith watched the three climb the stairs until they disappeared, and Sam listened to the footfalls on the floor upstairs.

"That was too cute," Keith spoke in a soft tone. "I don't think you've got anything to worry about."

"What do you mean," Sam asked, eyeing Keith as the other man sat on the hearth opposite him.

"You and Elsa are going to make some good parents. It's obvious, just by the way you treated that kid."

Sam shrugged. "It's not like I did anything special. Elsa's got everything in hand." He bit his bottom lip, lost in his thoughts for a moment. "My god, he could have frozen to death out there. I can't imagine how he survived as long as he did without a jacket." Sam's hands rubbed his upper arms as if he felt the cold through the log walls. With such good insulation it was anything but cold inside. "I'm really glad we were here, Keith. Just think if we hadn't been around..." He shook his head and banished the thought. "Now I have to wonder if that dog wasn't trying to tell us something when we were in town. How long has he been trying to get someone's attention that Charlie was out here?"

"I don't know. Maybe in the morning the kid'll trust us more and tell us where he's been, what he's been up to. He's been missing for how long did Garvin say?"

"A few months, I think. Long enough, I'd say." He sighed. "I should probably call Garvin and the Sisters at the orphanage to let them know we have him, but with this weather, I'm not sure what anyone can do until the morning."

"Yeah, best to let him sleep in a comfortable bed tonight, and tomorrow see what info we can get out of him."

Sam gave him a sidelong glance. "You make it sound like you wanna put the screws to him. Jeez, lighten up, Keith!"

Keith laughed. "Sorry, I didn't mean it like that. Don't you want to know what happened? Why'd he run away to begin with? Where'd he go?" Pausing, Keith looked deep in thought. "If that kid's been surviving on his own for several months, through the harshest time of the year, you've gotta give him a lot of credit for being resourceful."

"That's true." Slapping his hands onto his knees, Sam stood. "Think we should have someone keep an eye on him? I don't want him bolting in the middle of the night. This storm will be the death of him."

"I'll take a watch until one, and you can take over. How about that," Keith said.

"Sounds good. I'm going to get some sleep before then. Night," Sam said and moved to the stairs.

"Night, Sam."

Sam climbed the stairs and entered the bedroom he shared with Elsa, expecting to find her inside, but she was nowhere to be seen. He left the room and poked his head into the room across the hall. Inside, he watched Charlie settling deeper under the covers, Red Dog holding them down with his large body on the far side of the bed, and Elsa sat in a chair beside the bed talking to Charlie. He realized that she was telling him an amusing story, one about a day spent sailing on her catamaran back in Miami. That seemed like so long ago, he almost forgot how much money she had and all the toys he and the team borrowed from her over the past couple years to get jobs done. Charlie smiled, but his eyes were too heavy to remain open for long. He fell asleep before she finished the story.

She turned and noticed him standing in the doorway, holding up the side with his shoulder. He reached out and she came to him, and he wrapped an arm around her waist as he led her to their room. A diffused lamp remained on in Charlie's room, no doubt in case he woke up during the night in fear.

The two met Keith in the hall, armed with a big mug of steaming coffee. "I put the firescreen up and banked the coals downstairs. Everything's locked up, so we're good. See you in a few hours."

"Wake me up if I don't get up on my own," Sam instructed as he led Elsa to the room.

"No way, man. I'm not walking in and finding you two, um, less than decent." He chuckled.

Sam gave him an evil eye and retorted, "Never mind. I'll see you at one." He closed the door, isolating Elsa and himself. Taking her into his arms, he said, "Keith is right. You are going to make a great mom."

"You forget, I've been through this once before." Her smile wistful, she caressed his neck with her hands and moved them up to his face. "You'll be a great dad, Sam. Don't worry about it." She kissed him, starting a fire in him.

"At least not for the time being." She smiled against his lips, a devious flare in her eyes. "I have ways of taking care of that problem."

"Oh, baby. Show me."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

After receiving the marriage certificate in the mail, Maddie couldn't stop thinking about Sam and Elsa. At night, dreams plagued her and kept her awake, and in the daytime, Maddie lumbered around the house with pictures of her family in her mind. Sam was family as much as Michael, Nate, and Fiona. Poor Virgil didn't know what to do. He tried distracting her, but she was like a guided missile, and if she didn't get what she wanted, a blowup was inevitable.

Virgil lost count of the times he'd looked over the space between them watching Madeline sleep in the comfortable seat as he drove through the night. For the past few months they traveled at night and camped during the day. It was safer that way, less chance of the CIA picking up their trail. Now and then he thought about how he and Madeline bought the RV, and he nearly giggled to himself when he recalled the agents' reaction the day they left Miami.

Virgil had stepped up to the small sedan a half block away, his feet light, and a grin plastered on his face. The men inside watched him approach and spoke to each other, probably debating what this guy was up to. Virgil tapped on the window and the passenger lowered it.

"Hey fellas, Madeline and I really appreciate how you're watchin' the house for us." His grin widened as he asked, "You mind continuing to keep an eye on it while we take a little trip?"

"What?" The agent stared at him, confused.

"We've decided it's time to get away from Miami for a little while, so we're gonna take a trip up the coast. We'll see y'all when we get back." He waved and headed for the house.

"Hey, wait! Where do you think you're going, Mr. Watkins?" The agents bolted out of the car and followed, falling into step with him. "You know we're here for Mrs. Westen's protection."

"So you say," Virgil responded with a cool look. "Boys, there's no need. I'm a former SEAL, for cryin' out loud! I can take care of Madeline just fine. So, if you'll excuse me, we have some last minute packing to do and we'll be on our way." He lengthened his stride and outpaced them. The agents must have been too stunned to follow him to the house.

Virgil went in through the front door, locking it behind him, and he went out the back. Maddie waited in the passenger seat, smiling at him in victory. He locked the house's back door, closed it with barely a sound, and hurried to the RV. "Alright, darlin'. Here we go. I just hope we're not makin' a big mistake."

"We're not," she snapped, then regretted it. "Sorry, I'm just a little nervous." She pulled out a cigarette, but the look Virgil gave her made her put it back into the pack. He picked up some gum sitting on the console between them. With narrowed eyes, she slipped out a stick, making a big production of unwrapping it and stuffing it into her mouth. As she chewed, she asked, "Are you sure we should be going to Washington DC?"

"Just close enough to get the dogs off our track," Virgil replied. "I've got a route mapped out. It'll take a little longer to get to Oregon, but I'm pretty sure it'll help shake the Feds off our tail."

"Those guys shouldn't be following us," Maddie said as she glanced in the side mirror. The sedan was nowhere to be seen as they rolled down the street toward the freeway. "We should be okay."

"I took care of the tire, but they'll probably call in reinforcements. Keep on the lookout for clingers."

"I thought those were Klingons," Maddie replied with a slight tremor in her voice.

Virgil laughed at her joke and stretched a hand out to her. She met it with hers and squeezed. "This is going to be an interesting trip. I can see it already." He sobered and added, "Just remember, it might take awhile because we need to convince the authorities that we're just takin' a trip to see the country."

"I know." She sounded so disappointed, but he promised himself he would stick to his plan. He knew how to lose a tail and spread disinformation like the plague. It was the only way for them to undertake this trip without detection and keep Sam and his friends safe.

In their travels, Maddie and Virgil met many other retirees who were crisscrossing the country with campers and RV's. Sometimes they hitched onto a small caravan and spent a couple weeks with a group of two or three campers. Most often, they were alone. After three months, Virgil was certain that the CIA had completely abandoned them. Whether it was because they were no longer important to the agency, or the agency simply tired of trying to follow a moving target, he had no idea. Still, Virgil kept up his guard. Maybe the agency wanted him to think exactly what he and Maddie were thinking, and when the time was right, the net would close in on them. He couldn't let that happen if Sammy was around.

"When are we going to Oregon," Madeline asked as she cleared the table in the small RV. "I don't know about you, but I'm getting tired of being scrunched up in this cracker box."

"Tomorrow we'll set out west," Virgil answered and drained his coffee cup as he looked out the window at the blanket of white snow on the ground. They were in North Dakota, and it was early March. "I've been kinda waiting for some of this nasty weather to blow over, 'cause the mountains will be a challenge on a good day, never mind in the middle of a late winter snow storm."

Maddie grimaced. "Maybe we should have gone to California first and headed north."

"Wouldn't make any difference." He shook his head. "Either way, we'd have been going through mountains." He studied the worry lines deepening on her face and took her hand, pulling her next to himself. "It's okay, darlin'. We'll take it easy and get there. The hard part will be tryin' to find Sammy, but I've got an idea how to locate him."

Virgil followed the freeway, passing through Portland without stopping. All through the trip he insisted on driving, while Maddie rode shotgun and enjoyed miles and miles of scenery. Fort the first couple of months it was exciting, but he knew her patience wore thin. The non-stop whiteness didn't help, no matter how beautiful the sparkling scenery. It took a few days to cross the Oregon border from Washington due to the weather, and he breathed a little sigh of relief when the backside of the "Welcome to Oregon" sign disappeared in the side-view mirror.

"Why don't we check this city," Maddie asked when they reached Portland.

Virgil shook his head, intent on finding the nearest town. "Sammy could easily hide in a big city, but I know him. He'll dig in some place smaller, more remote. Farther south, there are a lot of smaller cities and towns. We'll look there first."

Just by the deepness of her sigh, Virgil knew her heart. The long trip wore on her, and if he didn't find Sam soon, he wasn't sure how she would take it. Their first day in Oregon he found a small RV park south of Portland and rented a space. Since Maddie often dozed at night while he drove, she always stayed up a few hours so he could get some good shut-eye. As per the routine, he retreated to the bedroom and Maddie made some breakfast.

But what Virgil didn't know was that day, Maddie had something else in mind.

* * *

She waited until Virgil's breath rattled out of his lungs in hearty snoring before she made her move. Maddie slipped into her dark blue, goose-down, winter coat with the fur-trimmed hood, wrapped a dark green scarf around her neck, and pulled matching gloves on her hands. The sun glinted off the snow, forcing her to wear her sunglasses. Until they'd gone north, she didn't realize that people used sunglasses in the winter, even on semi-cloudy days. If she didn't, she feared that the glare would fry her eyeballs, despite the cold air.

Maddie closed and locked the RV door, tested her footing in her boots, and set out for the road that led into a small town. It was a hike of about a mile, but walking after sitting so much felt good. She would take it easy, because once Virgil was down, he would be out for a few hours.

When she reached the town, she asked a teenager salting the sidewalk, "Where's the library?"

"Right over there, ma'am," he replied and pointed toward a large marble structure. "It's inside the city hall. I'm afraid it's not much of a library, but..."

Maddie smiled. "Thank you. I'll go check it out for myself."

She walked the two blocks to the building, peering into the storefronts at the merchandise in the windows. The proprietors must have been confident that spring was just around the corner, because mannequins wore bright colors and short sleeves, lighter pants, and short skirts. Golf equipment spread out in one window with skateboards and fishing gear. Maddie wasn't sure what she expected to find in the northwest, but it seemed that life wasn't much different than in Miami.

She crossed the street and approached the imposing structure that stood on a square city block, sharing green space with a flag pole, a few statues, and a massive granite slab that bore the names of men and women who gave their lives for freedom. A couple of fresh, brightly-colored bouquets stuck out of the icy snow around the monument. Maddie continued on her way, trotting up the stairs to enter the building.

The library door was just inside, to the right of the lobby. Both doors stood open, and she entered. Short bookshelves to the right designated a children's section. To the left stood the librarians' desk and checkout area, and straight ahead, computers sat on round tables. Maddie found one with a sign on it, indicating it was for internet use.

Looking around with a guilty mindset, Maddie saw no one within sight, so she removed her coat and outerwear and sat in the chair. She pulled out a small pad of paper from her purse and a pen. Now she was ready to do some sleuthing. Finding Sam in the state records was a long-shot, but until she tried, they would never know. Maddie typed Charles Edward Ramsey into a database and hit enter.

And she promptly discovered that it wouldn't be that easy to find Sam. She scoffed at herself for thinking he would just pop up in the system. Then again, maybe a search engine might find something, so she put his name into one. Nothing. It was no wonder that the agents kept watching her and Virgil. They were hoping that Sam would get stupid and call home, but if he wasn't doing anything remarkable that would get him in the newspaper or show him in a town directory somewhere, he was really laying low. Maddie couldn't imagine how he and the others managed to stay underground so long. Then again, she was a civilian. Sam was trained for this sort of thing.

Glancing at her watch, she realized that three hours had gone by with no results. Her heart heavy, hoping against hope that a kernel of evidence would point her in the right direction, she logged off the computer. Maddie stopped at a market on the way to the camper and picked up a couple of things they needed, all the while keeping watch that no one followed her. She sighed and wished for a cigarette, but she left them in the camper. Should have bought another pack. Maddie turned on her heel to go back to the store, but when she did so, she spied a police cruiser moving at a slow pace up the street, the officer watching her. She gave him a weak smile and turned around again, walking away, increasing her pace, but not fast enough.

"Hey, lady," the officer called. "You lost?"

Maddie stopped, her cheeks flushing. She ducked deeper into the coat collar and wrapped the scarf around her neck. "Uh, no, I just thought maybe I forgot something at the store." She let out a halting laugh. "You know, that's what happens when you get old, the mind starts playing tricks on you."

The officer nodded. "It's mighty cold out here. You need a ride somewhere?"

"Uh, no thanks. I'm just headed back to the RV park." She flipped up her hood, grasped the sides, and started walking. Between the time she went to the library and now, an icy wind blew in from the north, right into her face.

The car slowed to a crawl beside her as she walked. Despite the chill, the officer kept the passenger window open and spoke to her. "Ma'am, please. There's a storm coming, and I'm afraid you won't get back to your camper before it hits. As a matter of fact, I'd recommend you get to a motel and not stay in the camper."

She stared at him, studying his face. He seemed nice enough, but Maddie learned that she couldn't trust anyone she didn't know.

"Come on, I'd feel terrible if something happened, like I wasn't doing my job."

Maddie ran her hand along the side of her coat, making sure that she still had the small pistol that she kept in the inner pocket. It was snug inside. Nodding, she said, "Okay. Thank you for your kindness." She picked her way over patches of old snow that had been tamped down and turned into ice. The passenger door stood open for her, and she got inside.

The cop rolled up the window and smiled. "It's a lot warmer in here, isn't it?"

"Yes. Thank you," Maddie replied, trying not to sound nervous, even if inside she thought something might rattle loose at any moment.

"Which RV park are you at?"

"The Sunny Slope," Maddie responded, weighing whether to tell him the truth.

"Oh boy, you walked three miles into town? You're in good shape, ma'am." He gave her a warm smile as he put the car in gear and drove her to the park.

Three miles? She didn't think it had been that far. Maddie knew his curiosity was up and he wanted to ask her all sorts of questions, but she kept cool and silent, looking contemplative. It would no doubt intrigue him more, but in a few minutes she would be back to the RV. A few other campers had arrived after she and Virgil set up camp. Maddie directed him to hers, and he stopped on the lee side where the door opened and Virgil poked his head out.

"Darlin', what on earth are you doin'?"

Maddie grinned, displaying a self-conscious expression. "That's my husband, Earl. Thank you so much, again, for giving me a ride." She reached for the handle and propelled herself out of the car.

"Ma'am, you and your husband better heed what I said. We're expecting that storm in about four hours or so. By then you two should be holed up in a motel for a day or so, until it blows over."

"But it's springtime, isn't it?"

The cop laughed. "Lady, we get snow in May sometimes. Welcome to the Northwest!"

Maddie nodded, slammed the cruiser's door, and watched him drive to the next camper to warn the other residents of the coming storm. Virgil stepped up next to her, and she turned on him.

"What are you doing out here without a coat? You're going to freeze to death!" She moved toward the RV and Virgil followed.

"I was worried about you, Madeline. I woke up and you were gone, and I waited and waited for you to come back." Once inside the warmth, he grabbed her sleeve to stop her. "Where'd you run off to? I was afraid the CIA got you or something!"

"I went to town to see if I could find Sam in a database or some place," Maddie answered with short syllables. Pulling from his grasp, she said, "I didn't find anything. So I stopped at the market, and on the way back that officer gave me a ride. Then he told me that there's a big storm coming and we should go to a motel."

"He did, did he," Virgil said.

"Why do you think I'd lie to you?" Maddie looked at him with anger in her eyes.

Virgil couldn't stay mad at her, especially when she looked so sad, angry, and lost. He took the bag of groceries from her and said, "He's right, you know. I was listening to the radio for a bit, tryin' to occupy my mind until you came back, or I had to decide to try to find you." He stored the groceries while Maddie removed her coat. "We should get going farther south. This storm front is supposed to miss the lower part of the state, so if we go now we might be able to get down there and maybe we'll be spared the worst."

"We've already paid for the space here," Maddie protested.

"I know, but maybe they'll give us a refund due to bad weather. Come on, get into your seat and we'll skedaddle."

Virgil sweet talked the manager into refunding the money, and he and Madeline headed south. Before the clouds completely obscured the lowering sun and plunged the area into darkness, he found an empty park with a nice lot where hopefully they could spend the night. In the morning, if the snow held off, maybe they could take some time exploring the little town.

"What's the name of this place," Maddie asked as she got out of her seat and began to prepare for supper.

"I believe the sign said 'Hope'. I sure hope we'll be safe here tonight," Virgil grinned.

Maddie nodded. "I couldn't agree more." She sighed, a soft wish that Sam would turn up soon. Moving from place to place was not the kind of life she wanted to lead.

As the wind blew and turned from a whisper to a howl, Madeline and Virgil wrapped themselves in blankets and huddled together in bed. The heat was on full blast, but at the rate it sucked propane, Virgil was afraid the fuel would run out before nightfall.

"We should have gone to a motel like that officer said up north." Maddie could barely get the words out without her teeth chattering.

"I'm sorry, Madeline. You're right, but I'm afraid it's too late now." A street lamp lit up the parking lot, and outside the window he saw streaks of white zooming around them. "It would be too dangerous to go anywhere right now." He slipped out from under the covers, saying, "I think we have one more blanket. I'll be right back."

"Hurry." Maddie curled up in a ball listening to him thumping around in cupboards and cubby holes until he returned dragging a quilt.

"See? I knew we still had something." He unfolded it and draped it over the bed. He hated how small the mattress was, but in this case he was grateful because it forced them to get as close as possible to retain heat. Not that that was ever an issue; Virgil just liked to have his space sometimes. The quilt would have fit better on a king-sized bed, so he folded it in half, giving them one more layer. He smiled and slipped in next to her. "There, that should help a little."

Maddie replied. "Come and snuggle up to me. That'll help more than anything," she said and gave him a thin smile. A small reading light and the spill from the lamp outside were the only sources of illumination.

"How can I refuse, darlin'?" Virgil chuckled and spooned up against her, tucking the covers around her and his body. In time, the couple drifted off to sleep. Sometime during the night, Virgil heard the rumble of snowplows coming upon them like a massive army marching across the plain. The RV jiggled as the large vehicles pushing the plows rolled past the parking lot. Then stillness and the rush of the wind took over again, lulling him back to sleep. Only a staccato of rapping on the door could wake him.

"Hey, anybody in there," a muffled voice asked from outside. "Please respond if you can."

Between the plows and the fool out in the storm, Virgil was starting to get ticked about the intrusions. He dragged himself out of bed, being careful not to disturb Madeline, and shuffled to the door. The floor felt like ice under his stocking feet. It took all his energy to open the door against the wind pushing it back, and then the airstream grabbed on and wouldn't let go, sending the door flying into the vehicle's side with a loud bang.

"Woah!" The man outside grabbed the door and wrestled it back as he said, "Mind if I come in a minute?"

"Who are you," Virgil asked over the howling, but he stepped back to get out of the stream of snow blowing inside.

The man, bundled in a cop-issue thick jacket and fur trimmed hat entered, closed the door behind him, and flipped the lock. "It is horrible out there. When did you folks get into town?" When he didn't get a response, he smiled, pulled off a glove and stuck out his hand. "Detective Dave Garvin. I'm workin' regular cop duty tonight, since we're a little short handed."

"I see," Virgil answered as he shook the man's hand.

"Virgil, what's going on," Maddie asked as she came out of the bedroom with a blanket wrapped around her shivering body. She turned on a lamp and saw the officer. "What is it?"

"It's okay, darlin'." Virgil put an arm around her. "Detective Garvin was just out checkin' on folks, right?"

"That's right. We have a lot of people in the area who live in trailers, and I was heading out to check on a few when I saw your rig parked here. You know this weather isn't safe. By the time it's over, they expect us to get about a foot of snow."

"We should have looked for a motel, I know that," Virgil said. "But I thought we'd make it okay, and then tomorrow we could look for our friends."

"Friends?" Garvin's eyebrow perked up. "You know people around here?"

"Maybe. We haven't seen them in awhile, but the last we knew, they were in this area somewhere," Virgil lied, because in truth, he still had no idea where Sam was. "You wouldn't happen to know a Charles Ramsey, would you?"

"His wife's name is Elaine," Maddie added with a smile.

Virgil nodded. "And they're with a friend, his name is Pete…."

A smile stretched across Garvin's face as Virgil spoke, and he interrupted him. "You're in luck. I happen to know Chuck and Pete. Well, it's not like we're buddies or anything. They're kind of helping me with a couple of cases."

"That's terrific! Where do they live," Virgil asked, part of his mind wondering how Sam and Jesse got involved in the local going's on, when they were supposed to be keeping a low profile.

"Outside of town, but I'd guess by now their driveway is a bear to get through." Garvin glanced around the camper, implying that the thing would never make it. "I have an idea. Why don't you folks come with me? I have a four wheeler that can cut through this mess like it's butter." Seeing the distrust in their eyes, he said, "Really. I'll get you there safely."

Virgil looked at Maddie, and she looked at him. "It makes sense to me," she said. "Thank you, Detective Garvin. Can you wait a minute, while we put a few things together?"

"Sure, no problem." He stood near the entrance while Maddie threw some clothes for her and Virgil into a bag along with some other items.

When the two finished bundling up against the cold and elements, Garvin and Virgil opened the door, hanging onto it and Maddie as she stepped into six inches of blowing snow. Her feet slipped, and Garvin caught her arm. Virgil took the door and closed it, locking it and following Maddie and the cop to his vehicle. Inside the running SUV, warm air blasted them. He sighed in satisfaction.

"Buckle up, folks. This could be a slippery ride." Garvin put on his seat belt and drove out of the lot.

He took them down the main street. All the businesses were closed up and dark, and only a window here and there in an apartment above showed any sign of life. The road took them north out of town, and where a fork headed northeast, Garvin turned and took it. Outside, the headlights lit the way, but far from their scope, the forest bore down on them and seemed like a dark, wide tunnel. The back tires slid, but Garvin corrected and kept going.

"Here we are." Garvin announced as he slowed down to a near standstill and turned in to a narrow road.

"Are you sure there's a road there," Virgil asked with skepticism.

"Yes. Trust me." He continued at a slow pace, twisting and turning through the trees. The headlights touched on a log building, and he said with a smile, "We're here."

All the windows were dark, but an old SUV stood in the circular drive that the drifting snow obscured, proof that someone lived there. Garvin parked and got out, taking the bag and Maddie's hand to help her out of the back.

"Thank you," she exclaimed from behind her muffler. The wet snow slapped her in the face and she blinked hard.

"I'll wait until I know you're safely inside, and then I have to get back to my patrol." Garvin tapped his hat with two fingers. "You two have a nice night. Sorry you didn't have a better welcome to Hope."

"Not a problem," Virgil replied and shook his hand. "Thanks for your help Detective."

Virgil and Maddie stomped up the stairs to the door, dislodging the snow from their boots. He knocked, but no one answered. Maddie picked up the knocker on the door and gave him a look. With a sheepish smile, Virgil took it from her and tried again.

"I think I heard someone," he said after a few beats.

A light turned on inside, followed by the door opening and the porch light focusing a spot on them. Neither Maddie nor Virgil recognized the man who asked, "Who are you?"

"I-Is Sam here," Maddie asked, forgetting they had an audience. "I-I mean, is Charles Ramsey here?"

"Does he know you,' Keith asked, wary. He noted Garvin standing in the wind and snow and called to him. "Hey Garv, you know these people?"

Garvin looked back at Keith with suspicion, and Virgil knew he had to speak up and say something or risk blowing Sam's cover. But he didn't have to worry; as he opened his mouth to speak, Sam approached from behind the stranger. His eyes lit upon him and Maddie, widened a moment, and then crinkled as he fought his emotions.

"Well, I'll be… Virg, what are you doing here?" He stopped at the door and saw Garvin. "Hey, thanks for bringing 'em in Dave. We've got it from here."

"Okay, Chuck. You all stay warm tonight, and no going out. It's dangerous out here!" Garvin waved and returned to his vehicle. He waved again before steering around the SUV and leaving the way he arrived.

"Virgil, Maddie! Get your butts in here before you freeze to death," Sam exclaimed as he took the bag and ushered them inside.

Keith stood back and let them pass, then closed the door. "Sam, you know these people?"

"I sure do." Sam dropped the bag on the couch, turned, and scooped Maddie up into his arms to give her a big hug. Speechless, she snuggled into him and cried, muttering his name over and over. "I can't believe you found me, us." He looked at Virgil. "How'd you do it? Were people from the agency following you?"

"Don't worry, Sammy," Virgil answered. "We lost them a long time ago." Virgil grinned and as Maddie stepped back, he took his turn for a hug. "It's so good to see you! I heard you got shot up pretty bad. I didn't think we'd ever see you alive again."

Sam pulled away and held out a hand, inviting them to sit. "You want something to drink and warm up? Coffee, tea? We might still have some cocoa from earlier."

"I'll take care of that, Sam," Keith said. "See if you can get that fire going again."

"Good idea." He prodded the coals glowing red and placed wood on them. Sticking a few pieces of paper in the cracks helped the wood to flare and bring the fire back to life.

Maddie and Virgil took off their outerwear and settled into one of the couches. Sam sat opposite them, his eyes fixated, still in disbelief. Shaking his head, he said, "I keep thinking I must be dreaming."

"No dream, Sam. We're here," Virgil replied. He nodded his thanks when Keith handed him a steaming cup of coffee.

"So, how did you wind up here in Hope, of all places?" Sam set his cup on the coffee table, his elbows planted in his knees, body leaning forward, waiting to hear the story of how they wound up all the way across the country. Virgil gave him a short version, and he shook his head. "Virgil, that was crazy. You could have been followed, or something could have happened to you on the road. It's a treacherous world out there, you know? And I'm not even talking about dealing with the CIA."

Virgil laughed. "You know me, and you know Madeline. We couldn't sit around waiting anymore. We had to do something. Besides, it was kind of fun to mess with the agents."

"I can't believe you went along with this, Maddie. You know better than anyone how risky all this business has been."

Crossing her arms in defiance, Maddie replied, "Yes, I know, but being a victim of the system was tiring. If the government wouldn't find my family, it was up to me and Virgil to do the looking."

Virgil knew that Sam wanted to let them have it, but the fact that they were all together again outweighed any scolding he might want to give them. "Well, since you're here… we happen to have another bedroom free upstairs that you're welcome to."

"Thank you, Sam."

"It's getting pretty late," Sam said as he checked his watch. "And I'm supposed to watch the kid in a half hour."

"The kid?" Virgil looked at Maddie and turned back to Sam. "What kid?"

"He's a runaway from a home for orphans. He showed up here tonight half frozen with no jacket."

"Oh my, that poor child!" Maddie's hand fluttered to her throat. "Will he be okay?"

"Yeah. I'm just afraid he might try to leave in the middle of the night, so Keith and I are taking turns watching over him."

Virgil noted that the other man disappeared while they talked. "Is that guy's alias Pete?"

"Yeah." Sam scowled. "How'd you know? I'm sorry, I didn't get to introduce you. I was so excited to see you."

Maddie smiled and replied, "I'm sure we can meet him tomorrow." She paused, gearing up to ask another question. "Sam, where… where's Jesse?"

Sam turned his face toward the fire for a moment before answering. "I wish I knew, Maddie. He and Dani Pearce left about five months ago, and we haven't heard a peep out of them since. Keith located Raines' number, and if we still don't hear anything before the end of the month, we'll call him." He lowered his head and rubbed his eyes. "You think you were going crazy waiting for word! Elsa, Keith, and I have been stuck here for months with no knowledge of what's going on. I mean, is the CIA still hunting for us? Where are the others? Is Mike… is he out there somewhere? It's maddening."

"Otherwise, things have been good," Virgil asked with a hint of a smile that caused the dimple to form in Sam's cheek.

"You got the marriage cert, didn't you," Sam declared.

Nodding, Virgil replied, "That's what tipped us over the edge. We had to find out what it was all about."

"Other than being stranded out here, everything's great." Sam let out a breath and sat back into the couch cushions. "Elsa and I got married, under our alias, and now… now she's pregnant."

Virgil whistled. "Is that even possible with a woman her age?" Maddie smacked him and he cried out. "Hey, why'd you hit me?"

"That was rude, Virgil." Maddie exclaimed. "Of course, it's possible. Unusual, but not impossible." Giving Sam her attention, she asked, "How far along is she?"

"The doctor said a couple months. I just found out the other day. Elsa's been feeling sick lately, and she finally went in." Sam sat leaning forward again, his hands folded, silent for a few moments. "Given her age," he said and glanced at Virgil. "She's considered high risk. The sooner we get this over with and can go back to Miami to get her the best care, the better."

"Well, I think we should stick around here until we know it's safe to return to Miami," Maddie said. "Elsa might need my help."

Tilting his head, Sam asked, "Do you know how to handle a high risk pregnancy?"

Maddie's lips pressed together before she answered, "I had problems with Nate." Reaching over the coffee table, she patted Sam's fidgeting hands. "Don't worry, honey. She'll be fine."

"I hope you're right."

She locked eyes with Sam and spoke in a firm tone. "Whatever you do, don't let her know you're scared for her. She doesn't need to be worrying about you."

Sam knew Madeline was right, and so did Virgil. However, knowing and doing were two different things.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

After staying up a little longer to talk, Virgil and Madeline retreated to the bedroom Sam showed them and he took Keith's place in Charlie's room. He sat in the warm chair and watched the boy sleep, his backside to Sam with an arm thrown around Red Dog's neck. The dog snuffled, sneezed, and soon his back legs twitched as he dreamed. Downstairs, Sam heard clunking noises as Keith banked the fire again, followed shortly after by the snap of his bedroom door closing. On the other side of the wall, Maddie and Virgil's voices bled through and faded away. As concerned as he was about their arrival, Sam felt a tingle of joy in the middle of his chest. It was like a family reunion, or at least as close to one as he would ever get.

Elsa was sure to be surprised in the morning. If she didn't need her rest so much, Sam would have awakened her when Maddie and Virgil arrived. Seeing two of his friends again left him so excited, it was a good thing he had to watch Charlie, because there was no way he would have been able to go to sleep. With the snow outside, it was almost like Christmas. In a few days, spring officially started, but most likely the townspeople would still be buried in snow.

Eventually, only the faint howl of the wind filtered through the well-insulated roof. Sam listened to its rhythmic wax and wane, joined by the creak and swish of evergreen branches sweeping across the shingles. The sound brought back memories of riding out a hurricane in Central America, when he and his team thought the flimsy hut they took refuge in would blow away, and them along with it. His buddy Pete, whom he holed up in a church with a few short months later surviving on communion wafers when their supplies ran out, started praying, out loud. Some of the guys thought he was nuts, but then others joined in until nearly everyone participated. For the rest of the storm, it seemed as if a bubble of protection wrapped around the hut. The team emerged whole and uninjured while all around them the villagers suffered loss.

It wasn't fair the way things went sometimes, and whether it really was divine intervention or just plain luck, Sam wasn't about to speculate. Maybe it was his turn for heartache, waiting for Michael and Fiona to return with Jesse and Pearce. He hated to think that they wouldn't come back. As a matter of fact, he refused to believe it. Somehow, some way, Michael Westen always managed to survive. He would do it again, and someday soon, the foursome would be sitting around a table at Carlito's drinking mojitos, beer, bloody Marys, and ice teas, basking in the better days to come.

He imagined Elsa would be there too with their little one. Sam stuck his feet up on the edge of the bed, clasped his hands across his stomach, and closed his eyes, imagining Elsa with their child. He wanted a little girl who could be equal parts sugar and spice and kick butt, take-no-prisoners. Kind of like Fiona, only less volatile. In his mind, he created a world where she grew up as a normal child, with father/daughter fishing excursions, bike rides, and beach trips with Charlotte and Mommy. Sam woke with a start, not sure where that name came from. Charlie shifted in the bed and lay on his back, the dog's head resting on his chest.

As much as he liked the idea of a son, for some reason, Sam preferred a girl. The fact that he was even thinking about it made him realize that he was starting to accept the truth. He slipped back into his dream, unaware that the storm outside wound down to a whimper of flurries that gave way to sunshine the next morning. Charlie's stirring woke him, and he noticed the light filtering through the thin curtains, beams of sunlight playing on the bed. Red Dog sniffed, his head rose, and he launched himself off the bed and stood on all four feet. He approached Sam, tail wagging, smiling, poking his muzzle into the side of Sam's thigh.

"What," Sam spoke in a soft volume, afraid of waking Charlie. The dog butted him again. "You need to go out? Is that it?" He stood and put on his slippers. "Okay, come on, mutt. Don't get too excited and pee on the floor." He trotted downstairs and realized that he was the first one awake, or at least up and about. Leading the dog to the deck, he instantly regretted it when he saw the volume of snow against the door. "Wow, that's gotta be at least two feet high."

Red Dog barked as if to say it was no big deal to him.

"Okay, good luck." Sam opened the sliding door and hoped that the snow didn't fall inside onto the wood floor. With the exception of a fist sized blob, the moisture content kept it solid.

Red Dog bounded over the drift and took off skidding and barking as he ran for the deck stairs. While he waited, Sam grabbed a shovel that someone kept just inside the door and cleared a short path for the dog. The cold air seeped into his bones, but it was worth not having a mess in the house when the animal returned. Red Dog's barking echoed off the trees. An evergreen shuddered and gave up some of its load onto the deck. When Red Dog leaped and landed on the slats, more snow fell from the tree, hitting him squarely on the back. It didn't bother him. He shook himself, and with a grin he loped into the house, leaving Sam to shake his head at the crazy mutt's antics.

"There you are, Red Dog."

Sam turned at the sound of Charlie's voice. "Morning, Charlie."

"Morning, Mr., um... what was your name again?"

Sam laughed and stuck out his hand. "Charles Ramsey. But you can call me Chuck, just so we keep it from getting confusing around here."

Charlie shook Sam's hand and nodded in time with the hand pumping. "You got a deal, Chuck!"

"How'd you sleep last night," Sam asked. "Are you hungry?"

"I slept good. Too good," Charlie replied as he gave the large room a good look. "I... I can wait for later. I'm not that hungry."

Sam knew the kid was lying just by the way his eyes lit up when Sam asked. "Come on, Charlie, have a seat over there."

Not sure he should trust Sam, Charlie pulled at Red Dog's collar and stepped to the breakfast bar and took a stool. He folded his arms on the surface, swiveling on the seat, as he watched Sam like a hawk. Sam knew he kept an eye on his every move, because that's the exact same thing he would have done in the kid's shoes. He made a show of bringing out a carton of eggs, a package of bacon, some cheese, and green pepper and onion. The boy's nose wrinkled and settled down again at the sight of the vegetables, causing Sam to hold back a smile. He prepped all the ingredients in front of the boy and dumped them into a casserole dish. After setting it in the oven to bake, he started the next part of breakfast: hash browns.

"Chuck, why doesn't Mrs. Chuck cook," Charlie asked.

Sam laughed at the name the boy gave Elsa. "Well, Elaine isn't feeling well lately." He placed a large frying pan over the burner and turned to him. "She's going to have a baby."

"Oh," Charlie's response was less than enthusiastic. "Isn't she kind of old? Wouldn't she be better off adopting one of the kids at the shelter?"

Like you? Aloud, Sam said, "Well, it's kind of too late now." Feeling uncomfortable with the kid's questions, he asked, "You want some toast to hold you until we eat?"

"What do you have to put on it," Charlie asked, bolder than Sam expected for a kid who normally would get whatever was put in front of him and that was that.

Rifling through the cupboard, Sam replied, "We've got peanut butter, the good stuff, just peanuts and..." He read the label. "Peanuts." He chuckled at the boy's rolling eyed reaction. "There's some blueberry and strawberry jam in the fridge..."

"Blueberry sounds good."

"Alrighty, then." Sam dropped two slices into the toaster and pulled the jar of blueberry out of the refrigerator. "So, Charlie, what were you doing out in those woods? I know you've been missing from the orphanage for awhile now. How'd you survive the winter without a jacket?"

"I didn't. I... I ran away from where I was." Sam's head whipped around from where he minded the toast.

"From where you were? Were you staying with someone?"

"I don't wanna talk about it."

Hurt and disappointment stabbed Sam in the heart. It would take Charlie time to trust them, more time than Sam knew he had. "I get that you don't like it at the shelter, but running away is... it's dangerous. These woods are full of all sorts of wild animals, and I know for a fact that hunters have traps out there. You could get yourself caught in one and then you'd have real trouble."

"Talking from experience, Ed," Keith asked as he entered the kitchen. "Hey kid, glad to see you decided to stick around."

"It's kind of nice here," Charlie responded, and the second Sam placed a small plate loaded with the blueberry slathered toast, Charlie grabbed one slice and shoved half of it in his mouth.

Sam looked over the boy's head at Keith, letting out a soft, barely audible sigh. He should have asked him last night if he wanted anything to eat. The boy was starving! He set a glass of milk in front of Charlie, and the boy used it to wash down the wad of chewed up bread in his mouth. He set the glass down, let out a big, satisfied sigh, followed by a window rattling belch.

"Hey, that's not very polite," Maddie exclaimed as she entered the room. Looking at Sam and glancing at Keith, she said, "I would have expected you to teach this boy some manners."

"What? Maddie, he just showed up last night. What he does is beyond my control! I swear!" Sam splashed some water in the frying pan. "Oh, my pan's ready."

"You're a sweet little boy," Maddie said to Charlie. "You remind me of Sam a little bit."

With his back to the kid, Sam frowned. Maddie hadn't gotten the memo about keeping to aliases. Since she and Virgil didn't have any, as far as he knew, it was safer just to use their first names. But this was not good, not with a kid who seemed to be quite bright and on top of things.

"Who's Sam?"

"Uh, Maddie, can I talk to you for a minute," Sam asked and beckoned her to follow him into the living area. He didn't stop until they reached the stairs. "Charlie thinks my name is Chuck. Now he's going to start asking questions."

"Oh no, I'm sorry," she mumbled and glanced at the boy, chagrin on her face. She turned back to Sam with a new resolve in her expression and her voice. "Don't worry, I'll make something up."

"Thank you, Maddie." With hands on his hips, he watched her return to the kitchen.

"What's up," Charlie asked. He sure was a curious little kid!

"Chuck didn't want me talking about Sam, honey, because, uh, it's a really sad story," Maddie answered without batting an eyelash. "Sam was Chuck's twin. I'm sorry, I really shouldn't say anything more."

Sam took a step toward the kitchen and heard two sets of feet coming downstairs. Virgil and Elsa appeared, and Sam smiled up at her. "You look better this morning, honey."

"Thanks. Still feeling a bit unsettled, but I'll make it." She kissed his cheek and he put his arm around her.

"I'm making a breakfast casserole, so it'll be a little while."

"Chuck, your potatoes are getting a little done in here," Keith called.

"Excuse me, sweetheart." He kissed her cheek and trotted to the kitchen.

With six people in the house, all getting used to each other and the routine, chaos reigned. After breakfast, Sam insisted that Charlie go upstairs to take a bath. His clothes were in the dryer, so when he emerged, they would be ready for him to wear.

"Think he'll be okay up there alone," Elsa asked.

"He's ten, Elsa. He'll be fine," Sam replied with a smirk. "And you're the one who's experienced with kids."

"Oh, and where do you get your fount of knowledge," Elsa bit back.

No doubt about it, Elsa was going to be moody today. Sam replied with caution, "Experience. I happened to have been ten once. Granted it was a long time ago, but some things you never forget. Being ten is one of them." Everyone laughed, diffusing the situation. "That's how old I was when I stole a Red Ryder BB gun, and my dad had me locked up. My dad... well... never mind." He retreated without another word, heading for the closet. "I'm going to get some more wood inside for the fire."

"Wow," Maddie breathed when she heard the front door close behind Sam. "He's never said much about his dad." She asked Virgil, "Did he ever talk about him?"

"I don't know what happened, but it must have been traumatic," Virgil answered. "Over the years, there were times he'd start to talk about him, get real quiet and misty eyed, and then he'd say something derogatory about he wasn't there for him, something like that."

"That's one area he's kept a guard around with me," Elsa said with a sympathetic tone.

The room grew silent and uncomfortable. Chopping sounds filtered through the log walls, punctuating their discomfort. Draining his coffee cup, Keith said, "I think I'll go out and help chop wood. Comin' old man?" Keith tapped Virgil's arm and gave him a cocked grin.

"I suppose, although you'll have to excuse me," Virgil said with a wink, "These old bones ain't used to this weather yet."

Keith chuckled. "I know what you mean. When we settled in here and it got cold, I wanted to head out, down to Cali where it's warmer. But I stayed."

"Why," Elsa asked, her eyes seeking an answer in his. "From what I understand, you were trying to break Sam and make him talk. You were one of them. Frankly, I'm surprised you didn't try to kill him by now, since you didn't get what you wanted."

Shaking his head, Keith replied, his mind rushing forward in an attempt to find the words that would put her at ease about his loyalties. Mindful of the fact that the kid was still upstairs, he spoke low, leaning across the table so she could hear every word. "Ma'am, I was working for the CIA, and my orders were to get information from Sam on what he knew about Card and his black ops. It was my partner who was given other orders, to wring out the information at all costs. Even if it killed Sam. I didn't let that happen."

"But you were still trying to get this information."

"Yes, because it was my job. Then it became my job to protect Sam from Rourke and the people he worked for. That's why we're here. Sam and I knew each other way back when, and spending time with him again, well, he's become my friend." Keith hesitated, seeing Charlie descending the stairs. "Elaine, I promise you that nothing in the past matters. Keeping you and Chuck safe is very important to me, and I will do whatever it takes to make that happen. Understand?"

The fierceness in his tone and the fire in his eyes was enough to convince her. Elsa nodded. "Thank you, Pete. You have been a good friend to both of us, and I'm sorry if I doubted that."

"Alright. Well, Virg, let's go out and help with the wood." Keith stood and skirted around the table, giving Elsa some space. Her distrust wounded him, despite the kiss and make up gesture. He would have to get a hold of Raines as soon as possible, find out the status of Michael Westen and his disappearance, and if things were looking up, perhaps it was time for him to leave.

After lunch, the ladies cleaned up the kitchen and Sam and Virgil sat down with Charlie to play a game that Charlie found in a cabinet in the living area. Keith bowed out. "Chuck, I'm going to make a few calls. One of them being to the Sisters at the orphanage."

Charlie's eyes grew wide and his body stiffened. "You're gonna send me back? I thought you were gonna keep me!" He turned pleading eyes to Sam.

"Relax, Charlie," Sam said with a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Pete will only let them know you're here and that we're taking good care of you. It'll be a couple days before the roads are cleared enough to get you back there. Enough time for you to chill out here and we can talk. Maybe you'll learn to trust us enough to tell us why you ran away to begin with."

"Why? What does it matter?"

Trying to make the boy understand, Sam focused on him with seriousness in his eyes. "If there's something going on at that place that made you unhappy enough to run off in the winter, it must be a bad thing. If you were being mistreated, or harassed, or whatever, we don't want to put you back into that environment. We'll make other arrangements."

"And we'll make sure that the state looks into this institution," Virgil added. "Just 'cause you're an orphan, doesn't mean you should have to put up with abuse."

Charlie looked from Virgil to Sam, back to Virgil, then Sam, his face showing distress and a desire to get something out in the open. "It wasn't that bad there. The Sisters are really nice." He looked down at his hands playing with a plastic game piece. Then he raised his head and looked at them again. "I-I'm not really an orphan. My mom died, yeah, but my dad... he put me there. Said he'd come back for me." His eyes flooded with tears and he blinked to clear them as fast as he could.

"Charlie, I'm sorry," Virgil said and laid a hand on the boy's knee. "Why'd he do it? Did he tell you?"

"He said he worked for the government, and that he had to leave and do a job, but he would be back." Charlie sniffled. "I was eight, and I believed him. I mean, he's my dad, right? Parents don't lie to their kids, right?" His brow furrowed, he stared at Virgil.

"Good parents try not to, Son, but sometimes they say things because it's easier on the kids to hear a lie than the truth," Virgil replied.

"What's your dad's name," Sam asked.

"Why?"

"I have resources... I can maybe find out where he is," Sam replied, trying to reassure the kid without giving anything away. At the moment, he and the rest of the adults were lying to Charlie about who they were. He didn't need to know that, right when Sam and Virgil were attempting to build his trust.

"I can't tell you, because right now he's..." Charlie hesitated, shook his head, and shut down completely.

"It's okay, Charlie," Sam said as he picked up the dice and handed them to him. "It's your turn to roll."

Charlie nodded, taking the dice from Sam and allowing their fingers to touch. It was progress. Small progress, but Sam would take whatever he could get. Spending the day isolated in the cabin would be good for the boy. He'd get a front row seat to see that they were harmless and could be trusted to take care of him and make sure he returned to a safe place. Sam hoped that by trusting them, Charlie might open up about his dad. Maybe the two could reunite, and if so, Sam planned on having a serious heart-to-heart with the man. From personal experience, he knew that the life of a 'government worker' was no life for a child.

From the few things Charlie said, Sam suspected that his dad was a spy. If he could get the guy's name, maybe a little visit to Garvin's office and some of Keith's expertise in hacking could get them the intel they needed to find him. Running scenarios and clues through his head, Sam's mind wasn't on the game. He lost, and he suspected that Virgil held back a little, so Charlie crowed with victory when the game ended.

"Who's up for another round," Virgil asked as he cleared the board. "I think I can take you on this time, Charlie. I was just learnin' the game, you know?"

Charlie laughed. "Yeah, excuses, excuses, Mr. Watkins."

Sam's ears perked up. He didn't recall Virgil ever introducing himself to Charlie using his last name. His eyes met Virgil's, and the older man had realized the same thing. Sam turned away, his eyes focusing on the bright sunlight that had become blinding due to the blanket of white all around the house. Several ideas and explanations went through his head, but only one seemed plausible: the kid knew who they were, but how?

Jumping to his feet, Sam said, "You guys can play without me. I'm gonna go check on Keith and see what he found out about the orphanage." He left the room without waiting for a response, tracked Keith down in his bedroom, and knocked on the door.

"Come in," Keith answered.

Sam slipped in and closed the door behind him, noting that Keith was on the phone, holding up a finger and urging Sam to wait until he was finished.

"Okay, thank you very much, Sir. We appreciate knowing that, and I know Sam will be thrilled. I'll keep in touch." Keith closed the connection and met Sam at the foot of the bed. "What's up?"

Sam rubbed his thumb over a stain on the bedpost as he asked, "What did Raines have to say?"

Keith smiled. "I have lots of good news. All your friends are safe. Westen and Glenanne were found in Crete, being put up for auction by an old nemesis of Michael's. The agency bought them through Jesse and Dani, and they're on the way back to the States." He paused. "Given the fact that it seems to be open season on Westen as far as old enemies are concerned, they're taking him on a freighter from Spain to the Miami port. They should be there in a couple of weeks."

A breath of relief leaked out of Sam as he closed his eyes and tilted his head back. "That's great news. Does that mean this is almost over?"

"Well, for Westen, yes. Once he's in Miami, he and Glenanne will have to go into protective custody for a little while. The agency cleanup is going well, but there are still some fringe members to be... taken care of."

Sam nodded. "It can't be easy to clean up that mess. So, what about the orphanage?"

"I called them and talked to a Sister Mary Joseph." Keith snorted. "What a name. Anyway, she said that they love Charlie and were taking good care of him. He never had any problems, until some man started coming around the last couple weeks before Charlie disappeared."

"Really. Were they able to identify him? Is he a relative of Charlie's?"

"They don't know. But I can tell you one thing, Sister Mary Joe was able to give me a description of the guy." He met Sam's eyes and said, "It sounds like Avery."

"What? The kid's last name is Ford, not Avery, so why would some strange drug-stealing drifter be hanging around him?"

"I hate to say it, Sam, but maybe this kid is lying to us. Maybe this Avery guy isn't all he seems to be. And maybe it's all some big trap for us."

"That's where my mind was going. I just wish you hadn't confirmed what I was thinking." In frustration, Sam grasped the bedpost and jostled the bed. "No wonder Charlie's being evasive. It isn't just about trust. He's a Trojan horse, just biding his time until Avery brings a team." He let out a loud sigh and turned to the window. Peering out at the amount of snow in the driveway, he said, "We need to dig our way out of here. We'll take Charlie back to the orphanage as if we don't suspect a thing, and then we'll get out and go somewhere else."

"I'll get my coat and grab a shovel," Keith said.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Sam returned to the living area in time to see Charlie win another round against Virgil. The old man threw up his hands and lowered them with a deep sigh. "Ya got me, kiddo. I think you're too clever for your own good."

Charlie laughed and a pleased smile crossed his face. "Thanks. I guess that means you won't wanna play again." He glanced at Maddie, who sat on the opposite couch leafing through a magazine.

She must have sensed his eyes on her, because she looked up and smiled, the kind of expression she would give a grandchild, as she said, "Thanks, but no thanks, Charlie. Maybe Chuck will play with you?" She looked up and met Sam's eyes, hers sparkling with mischief and his dead serious. To her credit, she didn't let it show that she picked up that something was wrong.

"Charlie," Sam said, getting the boy's attention. "Would you like to help Pete shovel the snow out front?"

"Seriously?" Charlie gave Sam a face.

"Yeah, seriously. We need to have a clear drive in case there's an emergency. Go on, you can bundle up in some flannel shirts. It's not that cold out there."

"I'll help you honey. Let's see what we can scrounge up for you to wear," Maddie said as she dropped the magazine on the coffee table beside the game. She stood, held out a hand for him, and he slipped past her to head for the stairs. He gave Sam a look as if he'd been betrayed, but Sam ignored it.

"What was that all about," Elsa whispered, getting up and standing beside him. Virgil joined them.

"Keith and I think Charlie is pulling something. He may be a pawn to get to us," Sam replied. "I'll tell you about it when the kid is outside with Keith. Hopefully while he's out there, Keith can get him to talk."

"This is crazy," Elsa blurted. "He's just a little boy."

Looking into her eyes with all seriousness, he countered, "In some parts of the world, they use innocent children to carry out bombings and simple covert ops. It's not unusual."

She looked at him as if she didn't know him. "That's... oh my... I've heard of such things, but... Charlie? No, I can't believe that." She turned away and closed herself off from him in the bathroom.

"Don't worry, Sam, she'll get used to it," Virgil declared in an attempt to comfort his friend.

"I'd rather that she didn't have to 'get used to it'," Sam muttered, and he moved to the kitchen to make himself a cup of coffee that he nursed until Madeline came down with Charlie.

"I found a small coat in one of the closets," Maddie said and showed off the scowling boy.

"It's pink," Charlie grumbled. "If anyone sees me like this..."

"Don't worry, sweetie. Just go on out there and help Pete with the shoveling. The sooner you boys get out there, the sooner it'll be done." She led him to the door, opened it, and let him and Red Dog out of the house. She closed it, leaned against the wood, and said, "I'd forgotten how stubborn little boys can be!"

"So, Sammy, what's going on. Talk to us," Virgil urged as he sat at the breakfast bar. Maddie and Elsa joined him, the latter still looking angry and disillusioned with Sam, but willing to listen.

"Keith told me he talked to Raines, and there's a rogue CIA team still looking for us. You'd think with all that's happened, they'd give it up, but apparently they've got a one track mind." He took a sip of his coffee. "Anyway, they narrowed it down to this state, so it's only a matter of time before they close in."

"What does this have to do with Charlie," Virgil asked.

"He said he's not really an orphan, and I'm suspecting his dad left him there for safe keeping while he and his pals did their job nailing us. I don't have anything to back all this up yet, but Keith and I think that this Avery guy we're supposed to be looking for is Charlie's dad, and he sent Charlie out as a scout to locate us. Now we have Charlie, and I'm afraid that every day we keep him here makes it that much easier for Avery to find us."

"You really think a father would do that to his son," Elsa asked, incredulous.

Maddie gazed at Elsa and said, "If you'd seen what I've seen in the past seven years, honey, you'd believe anything. Spies are ruthless." She glanced at Sam. "Some of them have a shred of decency left in them, but their world is heartless. It changes people." He knew she was talking about Michael, and how his obsession with his burn notice almost destroyed him and his friends.

Elsa looked fearful and stared at Sam. "Is that what my baby and I have to look forward to? I knew this was bad, but..."

"Elsa." Sam's heart broke for her, because she was finally beginning to see the underbelly of his life, and it repulsed her. "Honey, once this is all over, you and I will go back to Miami, you'll run the hotel, and I... I don't know what I'll do." His smile was tender as he said, "Maybe I'll be a stay at home dad and be there for my kid all the time."

She must have liked the picture he sketched, because she returned the smile and squeezed his hand. "We just have to get there first."

"Exactly. And that's why we need to move as soon as we can. We need everybody out there digging that drive, just enough so we can get the SUV out. We'll take Maddie and Virgil back to their RV after we drop off Charlie at the orphanage. Then you and I will take off with Keith. We'll figure out a place to meet."

"Hopefully some place warmer," Virgil interjected.

Chuckling, Sam promised. "Yes, some place warmer. We'll slowly make our way back to Miami and keep in touch with Raines. He'll be able to tell us when it's safe to go back."

Maddie played with the edge of a placemat, and Sam could almost see the wheels spinning in her head. "Okay, Maddie. Spill it."

Studying Sam, she replied, "I was thinking, with this being so dangerous, coming to a head and all, maybe it would be safer for Elsa to come along with Virgil and me."

"No." Elsa exclaimed.

"Yes." Sam responded in the same moment, and his eyes locked on hers. "Elsa, baby, listen to Maddie. I'm not going to put you and our baby in harm's way. It was risky enough having you here with us all this time. I'm sorry I did that to you, and even more sorry now that we have someone else to think about."

"I can handle myself. Remember who taught me?" She tried a weak smile, but he would not be swayed.

Shaking his head in a slow, grave manner, he said, "No discussion. You're going with them. Virgil, you get Maddie and Elsa back to Miami. Take the scenic route if you need to, just as long as you go south and get far away from Keith and me. We'll go east, through the plains, and head southeast from Indiana."

"Sounds like a good plan." Virgil nodded in agreement. To Elsa, he said, "Little lady, you better get your bags packed, 'cause we're outta here today."

"Sam, please..." Elsa turned, but he was already heading out the door with another shovel.

Sam cleared a path to a shed that sat to the side of the driveway. He didn't have a key for it, but he easily picked the lock and checked out the contents. To his surprise and delight, he found a snowplow inside.

"Hey Pete, you can hold off shoveling. I found what we need!"

With Keith and Virgil's assistance, the three attached the snowplow to the front of the SUV. It involved a lot of jury rigging, but by the time Sam tightened the last bolt, the plow was sturdy. Keith started the SUV and brought the plow down to the gravel, put the vehicle in gear, and pushed snow off to the side.

"Okay, everybody, let's go inside and warm up," Sam said. "As soon as Pete's done, we can take Charlie back to the orphanage."

"I don't wanna go back there," Charlie protested. "I really like it here with you guys. Can't you keep me?"

"I'm sorry, we can't," Sam spoke with as convincing a tone as he could. Sometimes it was hard to say something empathetic when you knew the person you were saying it to was in a conspiracy to take you down. It was even worse when it was a kid. Sam hated that part of the job, and he looked forward to the day when he wouldn't have to lie like that anymore.

"I'll only run away again. You know that. You know I will!" Charlie crumbled into tears.

Sam reached for him, but Red Dog got between them and growled at Sam, making him back off. "They were taking good care of you there."

"But you promised you'd find my dad!" The tears froze on his cheeks.

"I'm sorry, Charlie. Sometimes... sometimes things don't work out." Sam held his hands out at his sides as he spoke.

"I hate you," Charlie bit out. "You'll get what's coming to you." He turned on the ball of his foot and ran for the woods.

"Charlie, wait!" Sam lunged for him, but Red Dog blocked his way and latched onto Sam's left arm. "Hey, you mutt! I'm only trying to help!"

Virgil stepped in, trying to get the dog to let go of Sam, but he wouldn't. Red Dog growled and bore down harder, causing Sam to cry out. Virgil pulled on the wide leather collar, which set Sam off balance, sending him into a snow pile, and the jaws clamped even tighter.

Keith pulled out his side arm and aimed. "Virgil, get outta there!"

"No, don't shoot him!" Charlie came back through the woods and knocked Keith off his feet, the shot going wild somewhere over Sam's head. Then he scrambled up, patted Red Dog on the side, and the dog dropped Sam's arm as if it was poison. The two ran off into the woods together. Sam lay face down, gasping and in pain, and Virgil was there in an instant.

"Sam, let me see," Virgil said as he took his hand. Sam tried to pull away, but he held fast. "Come on, let me see. This is gonna hurt, but, well, I gotta do it." Glancing up, he ordered Keith, "Go into the house and get a med kit."

Keith holstered his weapon and ran for the house. He almost barreled into Elsa and Maddie who stood at the door watching the entire scene unfold. A few minutes later he returned with the kit they had cobbled together while on the run. "Here you go, Virg. How bad is it?"

"That dumb dog didn't sever any major veins or arteries, thank God," Virgil answered as he examined Sam's bare arm. He'd pushed his coat and shirt sleeves up to his elbow to look. "Lucky for you, Sammy, these puncture wounds aren't deep. Your coat stopped most of the bite. Just busted a few capillaries, so we just gotta stop the bleeding and clean this up, and we're good to go."

"Is he gonna need a rabies series," Keith asked, studying Sam with concern. "Hey, he's lookin' kinda pale there, Virg."

"I'm freezing," Sam stuttered through clenched teeth. He grimaced as Virgil continued to press on the wounds with gauze and wrapped them.

"Here, hold onto this," Virgil instructed Keith. As he held the pads in place, Virgil rolled the gauze around Sam's arm until the pieces were anchored and held tight. "Okay, now go tell Maddie and Elsa we're leaving. Now. Grab what you can, and we're gone."

"You don't have to ask me twice," Keith muttered and raced to the house. He was in such a hurry he left the front door wide open. From outside, Sam and Virgil could hear shouting inside and the thundering of running feet.

"Okay, Sammy, can you get up," Virgil asked.

"My legs are fine, Virgil. I just got a little banged up on the arm, that's all." Sam sounded nonchalant, but the pain affected him. Even worse, he knew he couldn't pull one over on Virgil. They'd been through good and bad, injuries and health together. He would know when Sam tried to gloss things over.

After Sam got to his feet, Virgil pushed him to the SUV and made him get into the front passenger seat. "You stay here. I'm going to see if they need any help inside." Sam nodded and settled into the seat. Virgil threw the med kit into the back of the SUV and hurried to the house.

The shot still rang in his ears, it was that close. Sam could have been killed. He didn't have time to think of that in the heat of the moment, and neither did Keith. Sam swallowed and snuggled deeper into his coat to hold off the aftershock. Once they were safe, Sam vowed that he would buy Keith a mojito for saving his life, even while he risked it. Not a lot of guys could have pulled off that shot without hitting him, and the only other one that Sam could think of was on his way across the Atlantic headed home.

Home. That word never sounded so sweet in his head. A picture of another place, in another state, came back to him. But there'd be no use going. First of all, if the people pursuing them knew anything about his past, the rogues had most likely camped an agent in the town and kept an eye on his relatives. Not that he'd bothered to contact any of them since his mom died. That was beside the point. For him, there was no going home if that was the definition.

He heard voices and recognized Keith and Virgil with Maddie. He turned his head to look, just in time to see Elsa closing the door behind her, wrestling with a large suitcase.

"Come on, Elsa," Keith called to her. He threw Maddie's case into the back. Virgil deposited his and led Maddie around to the driver's side to let her into the back seat.

"I'm coming," Elsa retorted and pushed the case closer to the top step.

With a grumble, Keith hurried forward, pulled on the handle, and ripped it out of her hands. She gave him an annoyed frown as he threw it in back and closed the door. She took the first step, hit a patch of ice, and skidded off the steps, screaming all the way.

"Elsa!" Sam ripped off the seat belt and charged out of the vehicle. It didn't matter anymore that he was in pain. All that concerned him was her. "Hey, baby, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Sam. I was just in too big of a hurry," she replied, her eyes boring into Keith.

Sam helped her stand and brush off the snow. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine! Let's just get out of here before they come and get us." She was a little unsteady, but she pushed away from Sam, got into the back seat, and pantomimed, urging him to get in.

As soon as the last door closed, Keith put on the gas and hauled it out of the driveway. Two men emerged from the woods with automatic weapons. They fired on the vehicle, but Keith followed the serpentine trail and evaded their gunfire. He drove as fast as he could while plowing a path for the vehicle to drive, all the while keeping the wheels on the road.

"Everybody stay down," Sam ordered.

Three forms in the back seat scrambled for cover just as the back window blew from a shot. Elsa screamed.

"Are you hit?" Sam's face appeared between the front seats, staring at her.

"I'm fine. Just... scared."

"You'll be fine, sweetheart. Don't worry."

"Uhoh, we've got trouble," Keith muttered, and Sam returned his attention to the end of the lane where it met the state road. Two pickup trucks parked them in. "Looks like a job for a snowplow. You think, Sam?"

"Go for it." He yelled to the three in back, "Hang on! This is going to be quite a jolt!"

Keith gave the engine more gas. The lane was slippery, but he kept the vehicle on its course, thanks to the added weight of the snow plow on the front. The drivers and two members of the team waited ready to shoot, victory in their grins. Then they realized what Keith was about to do, and it was too late. The men scrambled, and Keith slammed the plow into the front and back ends of the pickup trucks with such force, the vehicles crumpled and moved enough for the speeding SUV to squeeze past, leaving the side view mirrors behind. Keith turned a sharp left and headed south with guns blazing behind him.

"As soon as we can, we're gonna have to find another set of wheels," Sam said to Keith.

"What about the RV," Keith asked.

Sam shook his head. "It's probably still buried in snow, and it's too obvious. These guys probably already have it staked out in case we decide to bail and take it."

"Okay. Then we're heading for Ashland. If we can make it there, we can get something else to drive a lot easier than in Hope." Keith fell silent and drove down the state road.

The plow would slow them down and maybe even affect their gas mileage. Sam glanced at the gas gauge. They had plenty of fuel to get them to Ashland. Now, if only they could stay warm. He shot toward the back, "Hey, did anyone bother to bring any blankets?"

"I threw a couple in back," Virgil replied. He turned around and found them among the luggage and broken glass. He shook each one as he pulled them over the back seat. "Ladies, you bundle up now."

"Elsa and I will share one," Maddie said. "Sam should take the other one. We don't need him going into shock."

"I'm fine, Maddie. The bleeding is under control. It was barely a scratch, see?" Sam held up his bandaged arm. A couple of points of red dotted the bandage, but otherwise it was clean. "I'm more concerned about all of you back there. Go ahead, Virgil. Take that blanket."

The two men waged a war of looks until Virgil backed down. He shrugged the ends over his shoulders and around himself, snuggling into it even as he kept his eyes on Sam. Sam knew he was watching him, but he chose to ignore Virgil's stare. He was fine. He'd been through a lot worse. Sometimes his side reminded him of that bullet he took a year ago while trying to hot wire a car for him, Mike and Jesse to escape. Had it really been that long? It seemed like years since that happened. While Keith drove, he lost himself in the memories and all the events that brought them to this point.

"Sam. Hey, Sam, wake up." Keith placed a hand on Sam's shoulder and shook him awake.

"Hm, what? Did I fall asleep? Where are we," he asked as he looked around. Darkness had fallen, and the SUV sat in a mall parking lot on the outskirts where the employees usually parked.

"We're in Ashland," Keith replied. "Virgil is working on getting us some wheels. We found an SUV out of view of a security cam, so he's getting it..." The sound of an engine starting interrupted him. He smiled in the glow from the dash. "And there we have it. Our ride."

Everyone worked together to move the gear from one vehicle to another. Virgil removed the Oregon plates and replaced them with a temporary tag.

"Where'd you find that, Virg," Keith asked.

Grinning, Virgil replied, "It was in the back in a milk crate full of junk. I just altered a couple of the numbers, and hopefully no cop decides to check his computer for the number. If he does, we'll hopefully be long gone before he gets really suspicious."

"You're ex ops, aren't you," Keith said with a smile of admiration. "I like this guy, Sam."

"Yeah, he's okay," Sam teased Virgil, then turned serious. "We should probably switch drivers since we're stopped now."

Virgil took the wheel, Sam switched to the back seat and snuggled under the blanket with Elsa, and Keith took his spot up front. The smoothness of the highway, which had been well cleared of snow and ice, lulled the passengers to sleep. Only Keith stayed awake to keep Virgil company.

Glancing in the rearview mirror to see Sam and Elsa leaning toward the side, Sam's right arm around her and her burrowed into his chest, Virgil smiled . They were so cute together, even more so when he remembered that Sam was going to be a daddy. Virgil just hoped that the couple would be in a safe place before it happened. Being on the run with a baby was unfathomable. If he had to haul them back to the Bahamas to hide out, he would do it. Sometimes, Virgil was as protective of Sam as if he'd been his own son, his own flesh and blood. That made Elsa as much a part of his family, and the little one too.

"Where are we heading," Keith asked.

"I'm following the plan Sam gave me," Virgil replied in a soft voice. "We're heading south, through California for awhile, and then we'll head southeast, through Arizona. Maybe even get down to Texas. It all depends on whether anyone follows us."

Keith took a glance back. He'd been doing that for hours. "Nobody. I wonder if we should have gone into Canada, except we would have had trouble getting you and Madeline in if you don't have passports."

"We do. But then we'd be risking these boys having access to the border crossing records and finding out we passed through."

"No doubt they've got you flagged," Keith agreed. "Who knows, by now they might have us flagged too, with our aliases." He shook his head. "I tell ya, Virg, I don't know how Sam has been able to do this for so long. He was with Westen and his team for months, and now on his own, running, constantly running."

"You had a long spell at the house," Virgil pointed out.

"Yeah, but we were always living with this shadow over us. Who would have thought a kid would be the catalyst to rain down hell on the team?" Keith sighed and kept his eyes on the road and the side mirror. At this time of night, the vehicle traveled a deserted highway. Occasionally, a truck passed heading north, or Virgil went around a southbound semi, but otherwise, the SUV was alone.

Virgil drove through the night and he stopped in Arizona. Everyone got out at a small diner to stretch their legs and get some breakfast. Sam took care to not irritate his arm, and Virgil noticed. "Sam, how's your arm?"

"It's fine, Virg." He kept his attention on the food on his plate, most of which he pushed around to make it appear he was eating, when in fact he only picked at it.

Virgil reached across the table and grabbed Sam's wrist.

"Ow! Hey, what are you doing," Sam cried out, regretting it and making a small scene.

Giving it a quick glance, Virgil patted his hand and released him. "I'll clean that up and change the bandages after we eat. It's looking a little puffy."

"Of course it'll look a little puffy. No matter how much antiseptic you throw on it, puncture wounds will get infected."

"Keith, have we got anything in the med kit for that," Virgil asked.

"I don't think so, at least not anything we can inject. Just topical stuff."

"Don't worry, Sam, we'll take good care of you," Virgil promised with a wink.

"Why did that sound ominous," Elsa asked.

"And you, little lady," Virgil broke in before anyone could answer, pointing a fork at her, he asked, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine," she responded with a puzzled look. "Why?"

"You took a tumble off the stairs yesterday," Maddie said. "I'd think you'd be bruised a little at least."

"Nope, I'm a little sore, but otherwise, I'm fine." Elsa gave her a reassuring smile. "I just want to get home."

"We're working on that," Virgil said. He rubbed his face with a hand and spoke behind it. "Fellas, we've got a couple cops who just walked in. They're lookin' around."

"We play it cool, just act like anybody else here," Keith instructed them. "If they make a move for us, Maddie, Elsa, Sam, you three take off out the back. Virg and I will hold 'em off."

Sam was about to protest, but he thought better of it. The cops stopped scanning the room and found a table far from theirs. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, but no one felt like eating another bite. Sam paid for the meal with money he and Elsa pooled between them, while Keith filled up the SUV with gas. Soon they were on the road again. In the desire to get away without drawing unwanted attention, Virgil didn't take the time to dress Sam's wounds, and Sam didn't remind him. Later, when it was safe to stop again, he would worry about it.

"I'll take a turn driving," Sam said, holding his hand out for the keys. "I'm fine, and we don't have the time to argue because those cops are watching us again."

Virgil sighed and gave him the keys. Although he was forced to sleep in an uncomfortable position, Sam got enough rest that he felt confident in his ability to drive. He crossed the state and didn't stop until they needed gas and lunch. Virgil looked at his wounds, treating and dressing them again with more care. Thankfully the climate change allowed them to ditch the winter coats, giving his wounds more of a chance to breathe. The swelling had gone down, which was good. Sam didn't want to have to worry about fighting an infection while on the run.

On the way out of the truck stop diner, Sam pulled out his cell phone and entered Raines' number. It rang several times, and he was ready to hang up, afraid that someone might be trying to trace the incoming call and pinpoint them, but the agency director answered.

"This is Raines."

"Raines, it's Charles Ramsey."

A low chuckle crossed the line. "What, no Finley? No, never mind, I know that would have been too obvious. It looks like you flushed out the last of the rogues in Oregon. Congratulations."

"What do you mean?"

"We managed to pick up some transmissions from the group right after you bugged out," Raines answered. "You really stirred up a hornets' nest! We were able to send our operatives in by chopper, and we gave them a nice warm, welcome to a Federal penitentiary for safe keeping until we can properly deal with them."

"So it's over? We don't have to worry about someone tailing us?" Sam turned on the speaker so everyone could hear.

"Well, there might be a pocket here and there around the country. We're working on that. Where are you right now?"

Sam replied, "We're heading into Texas in a couple hours."

"Great. I want you all to go to Dallas, to the airport, and we'll have a plane waiting to fly you to Miami."

"For real," Keith asked.

"Who was that," Raines asked.

"Agent Keith Turner, Sir."

"Well, Agent Turner, thank you for your service in keeping everyone safe."

"Thank you, but I was just doing what you asked me to do."

"This could get you an assignment wherever you want to go, Turner. We'll talk when everybody's in Miami. I'll be heading down there to meet Westen and the others when they arrive, and we'll be talking as well."

Sam didn't like the sound of that. Michael promised Fiona that he would quit the CIA once they were no longer on the run. That day had come, and now he had to make good on his promise. So Sam bit his tongue on that subject and wrapped up the call with arrangements set in place.

"Well, Virg, you heard the man. We're going to Dallas."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Madeline insisted on taking the wheel for awhile to let the men get some rest. She and Elsa sat up front, and the three squeezed into the back. Sam and Virgil took the outside seats, leaving Keith with the middle. He couldn't get a comfortable position, so he moved a few pieces of luggage around in the back, made a bed out of the blankets, and settled down. It was still cramped, but he could lay on his side and get comfortable.

Elsa and Maddie heard the shifting and sighing as Keith finally settled down to sleep. Maddie smiled, thinking about the few times that Frank took the family camping. The boys loved to get into the back of the station wagon and fall asleep on the way. Invariably, a scuffle occurred, upsetting their father. The smile faded as she recalled the aftermath.

"You okay, Madeline," Elsa asked, looking at her expression in the glow from the dash.

"I'm fine. Just remembering when Michael and Nate were kids."

"I bet you'll be really glad to see Michael again," Elsa said, a hint of excitement in her tone. "I'm looking forward to getting back and seeing what my staff did to the hotel while I was gone. They must be wondering if I fell off the face of the earth."

"No one told them that you would be gone for awhile?" Maddie's eyes were wide with concern.

Elsa shook her head. "The last thing the manager knew, I was on my way to Mumbai for an emergency meeting. He had no idea what it was about, why I was going there. I guess I'll be able to see if Sam was right, that I dug myself too deeply into my business and didn't let my people do what they were there for, when they were perfectly capable of taking over for me." She smiled, a thin slice across her face. "I'm too much of a control freak, I guess. Although over the past six months or so, I've had no control at all. It's been difficult, to say the least."

"But I bet you learned from it, didn't you."

"Yes, I did. When we get back and I'm up to speed, things will be different at the hotel." She glanced out the window at the darkness enveloping them. "Sam and I will have more time for each other, and the baby." Without thinking, she placed her hand over her stomach and held it there, thinking about how in a couple of months she would be sporting a baby bump. "I wasn't prepared to be a mother again, but the idea is really growing on me. I love Sam so much, and this..." She rubbed her stomach. "This is a gift of that love."

"Has he finally warmed up to the idea? He hasn't said anything about it."

"Oh heavens, he treats me like I'm made of glass," Elsa replied with a snort. "I don't know how he feels about the baby specifically, but he acts as if he's afraid that something will go wrong and he'll lose me."

"After you fell yesterday, I was pretty impressed by how concerned he seemed to be, not just for you, but the baby, too. Come to think of it, even before that, the things he said about putting you in danger and the baby." Maddie nodded with confidence. "He loves that child as much as you. I'm sure of it."

"Thanks. I'm glad it wasn't just my imagination."

The women talked in soft tones about babies and children, how they raised their sons, and how Elsa hoped that this time she had a girl. They passed a sign announcing that Dallas was only fifty miles away.

"We're almost there. We should probably wake up the boys soon," Maddie said.

"Good idea. Sam will have to call that Raines guy to give him our ETA," Elsa agreed.

"ETA?" Maddie laughed. "You're beginning to sound like them."

"Oh, I hope not! The spy life is not for me, and I'm hoping that after all this, it won't be in Sam's future either."

"I wouldn't worry about it, honey. He loves you too much, and he's got his priorities straight. Unlike my son, but I don't even want to get into that!" The two women shared a laugh, but the sound died as their eyes fell on the scene ahead of them.

"What is that, a roadblock," Elsa asked.

"I don't know," Maddie replied as she put her foot on the brake. "I guess we'll see, won't we."

As the vehicle slowed, Sam felt the deceleration. He'd been half awake for awhile, eavesdropping on the women's conversation and feeling no shame over it, amused at their thoughts and feelings. He would have to talk to Elsa about their future and assure her that he was done with the spy business, at least as far as getting in deep with Michael Westen. Perhaps he would take on personal clients and help them like the old days when he first got together with Mike, but as far as the agency was concerned, he was finished. Maddie stopped the SUV behind another vehicle waiting to go through the road block, and Sam sat up straight in his seat.

Leaning forward, he asked, "What's up?"

Maddie and Elsa gasped, and Maddie scolded him. "Sam, you scared me half to death!"

"Sorry." He peered through the windshield at the line of black and whites with flashers illuminating the scene. He saw other official looking vehicles and a couple men in suits eyeing the proceedings. "I'm not liking this at all. Those guys in the suits, they look like agents, and from their body language, I'm not sure we wanna be their targets."

"Could they be rogues," Virgil asked, joining in the conversation.

"I have no idea," Sam said. "Maddie, when that cop waves you up, floor it and don't stop for anything. Everybody get down when the bullets start flying."

The car in front shifted into gear and went on its way. The trooper gave Maddie the signal to pull up. She swallowed, put the vehicle in gear, and like Sam instructed, mashed the pedal into the floor. The SUV jumped, the tires squealed, and she blew through the narrow space between barricades, scattering officers in every direction. The suits shouted, pointing at the vehicle, running to their own cars to go in pursuit.

"What do I do now," Maddie asked, her voice shaking.

"Just keep driving, Maddie," Virgil advised in a cool, calm voice. He and Sam reached behind the seat for a couple of semi-automatic rifles they'd brought with them, and they prepared for the worst.

Sam shook Keith's shoulder. "Hey, Keith, wake up, man! We've got a situation here."

Keith's head sprung up and he looked out the back window to see two government issue sedans following with several cop cars behind, red and blue flashers piercing the night. "Oh, crap." He scrambled for another rifle and prepped it, and then he opened the back window on the hatch back. The highway sounds rushed in, requiring them to shout to be heard. "Who are these guys?"

"We don't know," Virgil answered. "I'm thinking they're bad guys, or Raines would have called us to let us know they were out here."

"Good point," Keith rested the barrel on the sill and waited for the shooting to begin.

The sedans gained on them, but the cops pulled back until they were just specks on the horizon. "Oh, that clinches it. They're a hit squad," Sam declared. "They don't want the cops to be around when they do their dirty work and shoot us all. Ready guys?"

"Ready," Keith barked.

"Ready," Virgil exclaimed as the first shot came from one of the sedans, followed by a volley of more rounds. Over the din, he shouted, "We've got 'em outgunned, boys. They only have two guys shooting at us. Return fire."

Sam and Keith joined Virgil in shooting out the back, aiming for the vehicles to either slow or stop them completely. One bullet penetrated the left vehicle's windshield, and a second followed, shattering it. The driver was distracted and veered off to the shoulder, but he quickly recovered. The distance between the sedans and the SUV lessened, and they could almost see the determined expression on the agents' faces.

A shot whizzed past Virgil's ear and hit the windshield. The women screamed. He glanced back and saw Elsa ducking down farther in her seat, her hands working to load one of Sam's pistols. Up to that point, he hadn't been aware that she was shooting. Her eyes rose and met his, and he nodded encouragement to her. She gave him a little smile as she took off the safety, then turned to lean out the passenger window just enough to sneak a few shots.

One of the bullets hit a front tire, causing it to blow out. The agents' car swung toward the side of the road and went down a short embankment, leaving one car still on their tail. Keith aimed for the tires, hoping to take them out the same way. Someone's shot hit the passenger, but still the vehicle closed in, almost to the point where making a shot to disable the vehicle would be difficult.

The injured agent leaned out of the window and shot at the SUV. A loud bang and a shudder followed, and Maddie struggled to keep the vehicle under control.

"We've been hit," Sam yelled.

"What do I do," Maddie yelled.

"Take your foot off the gas, Madeline," Elsa exclaimed. "Just coast to the side of the road."

"But they'll get us!"

"Just do it, Maddie! We've got them covered," Sam assured her.

The vehicle began to slow. "I can't steer..." Maddie cried aloud as another shot hit a second tire on the driver's side, blowing it and causing the vehicle to teeter and veer toward the shoulder. "Hang on!"

The SUV tilted in slow motion as it sank into the gravel, the passenger side crashing to the rough surface. It bounced and rolled, set upright and rolled again until it came to a stop at the bottom of the bank, resting on its roof. Fortunately for the occupants, they weren't going at a high rate of speed when the vehicle executed its gymnastics. But if they were stunned, they were vulnerable. The agents' sedan stopped, tires scraping on the gravel. Feet scrambled and swished through the tall grasses as they ran to the bottom.

"Careful. There may still be someone alive in there."

The agents circled around the vehicle, flashing beams of light on the figures in and around the vehicle. One of them crouched and checked on the pulse at Keith's neck. "This one's still alive."

"Shoot him."

A shot rang out, but it didn't come from the agent's gun. He fell back, sitting in the grass, holding onto his side where blood flowed. "I've been hit!"

His partner swept his gun around, looking for the shooter. A shadow popped up with a gun aimed at him. He fired even as a bullet hit him in the chest and he went down. The injured agent cried out, "Forbes!" and fired at the source. He found the barrel turned on him and another bullet took him down.

Incredible silence fell on the scene, punctuated by Sam and Virgil's heavy breathing. "This one's dead," Virgil announced as he checked on the agent near the front of the SUV.

"So's this one," Sam responded as he studied the man toward the back. "Hey Keith, you okay?"

"Yeah. A little banged up, but I'll survive. I'm more worried about Maddie and Elsa." Keith crawled into the broken back passenger window. "Maddie?"

Virgil moved around to the driver's side and brought his fingers to her neck. "She's got a pulse, but she's unconscious."

"Where's Elsa?" Sam picked up one of the agent's flashlights and shone it on the vehicle, searching for her. "I can't find her." He fought the urge to panic. She had to be there. The fact that she wasn't inside the vehicle worried him more than anything. He moved around the back of the SUV and flicked the light over the bank. Near the passenger door, he found Elsa, and he sucked in his breath at the sight of her. "Elsa!"

"Did you find her?" Keith came running and met him where she lay. "She's got quite a head injury there. Hang on, don't move her. I'll be right back." Keith ran to the rear of the SUV, rifling through the tumbled gear with desperation until he found the med kit. Grabbing a blanket, he hurried to Elsa and Sam.

Silence reigned as Keith and Sam worked on stopping the bleeding and bundling Elsa in the blanket to keep her from going into shock. She moaned and turned her head, but Sam grabbed her with both hands and held her in place.

"Elsa, honey, don't move your head." He glanced at Keith. "We need to call for help. I really hate to do it, but she could be seriously injured, beyond what we can do."

"I know. You got that phone? Maybe we can call Raines and he can dispatch some help."

"It'll take too long," Sam protested. Crunching gravel caused them to look up the bank. "I sure hope that isn't reinforcements."

Red and blue lights reached out into the night. "Great." Keith checked the ammunition in his gun.

Sam rasped, "Put it away. Quick!"

Flashlights caught them, and the two men held up their arms to block the glare. "Hey, you folks okay?"

"We've got injured people here," Sam answered. "My wife... she needs an ambulance."

"There's one on the way, sir," the trooper said. He knelt near Elsa's head. "Looks like you're doing great, just keep her calm and still."

"That's what I'm trying to do." He looked down and focused on Elsa's eyes. "You hear that, baby? Just stay still."

"Everything hurts, Sam."

"I know, I know. Just hang in there." He leaned over and kissed her forehead.

Sirens announced the arrival of the ambulance, and before long, each member of the team was ferried to the hospital to be checked out. Sam went first with Elsa, because she was the most severely injured. Keith, Virgil, and Maddie seemed to be okay except for some cuts and bruises, but until the doctors checked them out, they weren't going anywhere.

Maddie had a concussion so they were keeping her overnight at the hospital, and Keith volunteered to keep an eye on her in case some of the rogues decided to finish the job, but Virgil already had that security detail covered. Instead, he parked himself in a waiting area not far from her room and kept watch. The three were most concerned about Elsa. Sam went into the emergency room with her first and hadn't appeared. The doctor told them she was undergoing a series of tests. That could mean anything. Keith hoped that no news was good news.

A shadow fell over him and he looked up from the magazine to see Sam standing before him. "Hey, you found us. How's Elsa?"

Sam let out a deep breath and sat in the chair next to Keith. "They're still running a few tests. Her neck and spine are okay, thank God, but she did get a severe concussion. She's pretty banged up and had a cracked bone in her forearm. That's been immobilized, but they didn't use a cast." He fell silent, his face showing Keith that he wasn't done.

"What is it? There's more, isn't there."

"Yeah." Sam cleared his throat, his eyes staring across the hall at nothing. "They're worried about the baby."

Keith stared at him, unable to speak for a moment. He knew how important that baby had become to Sam in so short a time. To lose it would be devastating. "How could anything happen to it? It's still so small, and... well protected."

"She suffered some abdominal trauma, they said. She's got bruising all over," Sam replied, then bit his bottom lip. "It's still to early to tell if anything is wrong. The doctor tried to find a heartbeat, but... he said we shouldn't worry, that it's sometimes hard to find this early." He dropped his head in his hands, fighting his emotions. "I'm afraid he's just trying to figure out how to break it to us gently."

"I don't know anything about babies and pregnancy and stuff, so I couldn't tell you," Keith said. "But what I do know is that you should go and be by your wife's side. She needs you. So go on. Now you know where I am, you can let me know if anything happens. Okay?"

"Yeah. Thanks, Keith." Sam got up and left, walking down the hall. He stuck his head into Maddie's room for a little while, then continued moving down the corridor to the elevator. He turned, saw Keith watching him, and held up four fingers. Keith nodded. Sam would be on the fourth floor with Elsa.

Maddie was cleared to leave the next day, but she and Virgil didn't want to leave for Florida with Elsa still in the hospital. Keith talked to Raines, and they were still cleared for a flight from Dallas. All he had to do was say when. Another plane would transport Sam and Elsa when she was able to leave. As much as Keith wanted to get Maddie and Virgil back to Miami in time for Westen's arrival, he knew that in the short time they'd all been together that they'd formed their own team of sorts. Everyone cared about each other like family, and with the amount of stubbornness that went around the little circle, no way would anyone break and go their own way. It was a rare and beautiful thing to find such loyalty. He certainly hadn't seen that kind of support in the agency for quite some time. With Raines getting his hands dirty now, maybe things would be different. However, Keith still felt that his life neared an ending with the agency, and once he set foot in Miami, he would set the process in motion.

For a moment, he wondered what happened to Rourke. He didn't ask Raines. It shouldn't matter, but yet, it did. If Rourke was involved in the manhunt to track down Sam... a sense of hot protectiveness bubbled up inside of him, and he wanted to do some damage if Rourke had anything to do with it. If he kept telling himself that it was over now and to trust the agency to handle things, that in a little while it wouldn't make any difference because he would be a civilian, maybe he could cool down and think about the logistics of getting everyone home.

Sam joined Keith in the cafeteria for breakfast, saying, "I dragged Virgil down here. Maddie's getting ready to be discharged." He turned and waved at the older man who scanned the dining area looking for them. His eyes lit on the two, and he grinned and approached the table.

"Mornin', boys. Sam, how's Elsa doing this morning?" Virgil sat with Sam to his right and Keith to his left.

"She's doing okay. The concussion is just going to take time to heal. Last night the doctor was able to pick up the baby's heartbeat, so... so that's good." He blinked tears from his eyes, hiding behind his folded hands for a moment. When he resurfaced, he spoke with thick emotion in his voice. "Virgil, I don't know if you ever had the pleasure of hearing that sound. It was incredible. As far as sounds go, it's pretty ordinary. Frightening, almost, at the speed. But when you realize that's your flesh and blood's heart beating, living..." He halted, blinking and swallowing, swiping away the moisture. He could barely get the words out anymore. "It's the most beautiful thing you've ever heard."

Even Virgil had tears in his eyes, and he patted Sam's shoulder. "They didn't have all that fancy technology when my girl was born. I kinda envy you." A smile grew on his face. "But I don't envy you the middle of the night feedings, diaper changes, all that good stuff."

Rolling his eyes, Sam groaned. "Please, let's not talk about that. I'll worry about it when the time comes."

Virgil and Keith laughed. Then Virgil addressed Keith. "What about you, Son? Ever think of settling down and having a family?"

Keith scoffed. "Are you kidding? Being an agent, well, that's no life for a family man. I thought about settling down, but I could never find a woman who could put up with the secrecy and me having to run off in the middle of the night, not knowing where I was going and when I was coming back." He shook his head. "That life is over, once I get to Miami."

"Is Miami home for you," Virgil asked.

"No. Nebraska." Keith replied with a short chuckle. "I was a farm boy, and I wanted some excitement, so I joined the Navy, got into the SEALs same time as Sam, and later on I joined the agency." He shook his head. "Home is too far away now. Miami might be kind of nice for awhile. I thought I'd give it a go." He smiled.

"It's nice to see someone in the agency with some sense," Virgil remarked. "Take Maddie's son, Michael. That boy was so obsessed with his burn notice, had to find out who did it so he could get back in. Look at the mess he uncovered doing it."

"He did the right thing, Virgil," Keith said. "The agency was rotten inside."

"Yes, but now, what's gonna happen? Will they reward him for blowing the lid off everything? Where's he gonna wind up? If he leaves that darlin' Fiona to go work in Washington or somewhere, so help me God, I'm gonna hammer some sense into that boy." Virgil shook his head. "He already left her once for that reason. He better not make that same mistake again."

"I think Mike is smarter than that," Sam assured him. With a smirk, he added, "If not, we'll gang up on him. He usually listens to my reasoning."

Virgil still looked unsure, but Sam knew he trusted him. Sam knew Michael better than anyone at the table. Still, that didn't help with the deep seated fears in Virgil's brain. "I sure hope so, because I plan on marryin' his mama, and Fiona is like a daughter to both of us, so it would hurt everybody if he left her high and dry again."

"Don't worry, Virg. Fiona's stronger than you think."

"I know, Sammy. I just can't help feeling the way I do."

"Let's not worry about it until we see Mike again." Saying it brought a lightness to his soul, and he smiled. "I can't believe this is almost over, and we'll all be back together again."


	9. Chapter 9

_As a little Christmas present to all my fans, I present the conclusion of "The Rise of Sam Axe: Hiding In Plain Sight". Enjoy!_**  
**

**Chapter 9**

The sea had been rough, turning Michael's insides around and making him wish he hadn't had supper. After the meal, barely speaking to anyone, he retreated to his quarters to recover and reflect as they neared home. Although his time with the agency was coming to a close, forever, he hoped, he still had a job to do. Paperwork, the least favorite part of a mission, and it was all his. Between the tiredness of his eyes and the shifting from the waves, it was hard to concentrate. Michael didn't want to have anything left to do when he returned to Miami. His dream was to walk off the ship, meet Raines and turn in his report at the dock, and keep walking. Preferably with Fiona at his side. He heard the door open, and he turned from the papers he was writing and saw Fiona standing there, hanging onto the frame.

"Fi, are you okay?"

"A little seasick, but... I have more important concerns." She stepped into the room, closed the metal door with a solid clang, and approached his bunk. "Mind if I sit?"

"Go ahead. I was just finishing up a report that I'll submit to Raines when we get back." He set down the pen in a groove on the desk, preventing it from rolling away. He turned the chair to face her, leaned forward, and rested his elbows on his knees. "What's up, Fi?"

She let out a breath. "We've been on this cruise for two days now, and I've been feeling very unsettled. About us. I know we had a good time on the cruise ship."

He smiled at the memory. "It's been awhile since we had it that good."

"Yes." She didn't smile. "When I saw you again, after everything with the CIA, you leaving, I... I had told myself that I was through. I couldn't take it anymore. And when I saw you again, I would tell you exactly how I felt. Somehow, I forgot about all that when we were reunited in Crete." She paused, her eyes boring into his as she spoke. "I love you so much, Michael, but that love turned into hate when you abandoned me to work with the CIA after we took down Riley."

"Fi, I made a deal with Raines. If I hadn't, we would have all gone to jail." Michael swallowed and reached for her hands, but she yanked hers away. "I did it for you, to save you."

"In the process you took our relationship and blew it to pieces."

"I don't expect you to ever understand," Michael replied, choking on the sadness that tightened his throat. "All I can say is that I'm sorry that you felt betrayed. I didn't mean for you to feel that way." He bowed his head. "I wanted to take you with me, to Washington, but I felt you'd be better off with my mom, building up a new normal life." He raised his head again. "I guess I'd hoped that when I returned you would be willing to take me back and we could move on. Together."

She scowled and crossed her arms in front of herself as she exclaimed, "Michael, you should have told me!"

"Would you have listened, or believed me?"

He had her there, and she knew it. Her own head bowed. "I don't know. I was too angry with you at the time."

"And now?"

She shook her head. "I'm confused. A part of me holds this fire for you that will never burn out, even while it kills me inside, and I want to put it out." She looked at him again with tears obscuring her vision. "I can't do it. And so when you tell me now that you want to go home and have a normal life, with me, part of me doesn't believe it. The part that still loves you... craves it. And I'm afraid to tell you that, afraid you'll take advantage of my foolishness because you know I'll follow you around like a love-sick puppy, and..." She was babbling, so she stilled and stared at her folded hands in her lap.

"I know I can never make up for the hurt I caused you. I only hope that you'll let me try." He turned to a briefcase on the desk, snapped it open, and pulled something from inside. "When I was traveling to clean up this mess, I was in Europe for a couple weeks. I had this made for you, hoping you would accept it along with an apology and a promise." He opened the box and revealed a two carat diamond with rows of smaller diamonds flanking the setting, anchored in a platinum band. "Fiona, if you wear this ring and be my wife, we will be together forever. No more CIA to be my mistress. Just you and me."

Fiona's mouth hung open at the sight of the sparkling gems. Her tears turned the glinting light into flaring stars, and she covered her mouth with her hands. Michael smiled at her, a hopeful expression. She blinked with such fury, his heart ached for putting her through the circumstances that made this decision so difficult for her.

"Fi. How else can I convince you that I want you to be my wife? I could have waited until we got back to Miami, chosen a really fancy, beautiful restaurant, dropped the ring in your champagne glass, and had strolling violinists serenading you, but this was too important to wait."

"How long have you been holding onto that? And how did you get it back after we were captured and sold?"

Smiling, Michael replied, "I bought it shortly before the last mission that got us shot up. I kept it in my briefcase. When Bailey and Menaro were charged with locating me, they brought some of my things along, including the briefcase."

"That's odd."

He chuckled. "Well, look who we're talking about."

She nodded. "That's true." A hint of a smile played on her lips, but she wiped it away with her index finger and licked her lips. "So, you risked losing this ring on the odd chance that you would find an opportunity to propose to me?"

"I felt like, as long as I had this ring, you were with me. No matter what I was doing, Fi, you were always on my mind. You were the ultimate reason I did what I did, because I wanted us to have a safe future."

"But will you ever be truly happy with a 'safe' life," she asked, the smile widening. "Frankly, I have a hard time seeing you as a man who would be satisfied with a house, all settled down. What would you do for work? I can't see you being idle."

"I don't know. Let's just go to Miami, get married, and figure out where we're going to live first. One step at a time." He slipped off the chair and got down on one knee. "Okay, so I don't have the romantic setting, but for you, I'll get down on my knee. Two knees if that's what you want. Hands and knees..." He wore a look of desperation as he gazed into her eyes.

"Michael, please," Fiona said with a laugh and a hand on his shoulder. Looking deep into his eyes, she said, "This is good enough."

"It is? Oh good." Giving her a boyish grin, he asked, "So, Fiona Glenanne, will you marry me?"

Still smiling, she answered with a soft voice laden with emotion. "Yes, Michael. I will."

"Thank God." He breathed and slipped the ring on her finger before she could change her mind. Michael lifted her to her feet and kissed her, and her kiss back was as full of love and emotion as his. Coming up for air, he teased, "Good thing that worked. I was afraid I'd have to spend half a week's paycheck to convince you to marry me."

"Michael!" She slugged his arm.

"Ow! Fi!"

She swung at him again, but he blocked it. Looking into her eyes, he didn't see any hate or anger. She was playing with him, and he knew how this was going to end. He glanced at the bunk. Not exactly comfortable for making love, but in a pinch it would do. Before she could beat him to a pulp, he clamped his arms around her, swung her around and down onto the mattress, and covered her with his body. Her chest heaved beneath him, her heart thumping through her clothing to touch his, and together their passion reached the logical conclusion.

Michael and Fiona stood on the freighter's deck staring off in the distance. If they squinted, a few skyscrapers appeared on the horizon. He'd been through this dozens of times in his life, coming and going from home. He thought he would be jaded by the process after all this time, but he wasn't because this time things were different. Inside, his nerves jumped and he felt like a kid waiting for Santa to appear and leave presents. He straightened, pulling away from the rail and placing an arm around Fiona's shoulders. She stepped closer to him, her arm sliding around his waist.

He sighed as a wave of emotion overtook him. He'd almost lost her when he agreed to work for Raines and start cleaning up the CIA. She thought he was abandoning her and the promise he made. What she didn't see at the time was that he needed to make good on the promise he made to Sam first, and that was to make things right. It finally happened. During the long trip across the sea, he made it clear to her and she'd come to terms with it. Knowing that he'd sealed his promise to her, she loosened up and her love for him was allowed to shine. It was like Ireland all over again, without the unhappy middle-of-the-night exit.

"I wonder if Sam will be there to see us," Fiona mused. "And your mom."

"I don't know. We don't even know where they've been all this time." Michael wished the ship could move faster. Seeing the Miami skyline and its slow growth on the horizon was almost maddening. "Fi, we should get ready for disembarking."

"We won't be getting in until around six tonight," Jesse informed him as he and Dani stepped up to the rail. "I was talking to a crew member, and he said that's their ETA."

"Great." Michael glanced at his watch. "That's five hours yet. Are we really that far away?" He squinted at the land.

"Yeah. Come on, let's go down below deck and play some cards or something, just to get your mind off it."

Michael glared at him. "I've had enough cards for a lifetime."

Jesse winced at the pun. "So you're really going to do it, break from the agency?"

"Yes. I've already filled out and signed my exit papers. I'm handing them to Raines along with my last report, and when I walk away from him, I'm walking away from the CIA." It felt good saying those words, but it also brought a sense of fear of the unknown. He'd never felt that kind of fear so keenly before. It was kind of exciting, really.

Knowing how much time they had left on board made the wait even worse. But eventually, the ship pulled into port and docked. Michael had to restrain himself from grabbing Fi's hand and running down the gangplank. Instead, the two hefted their meager belongings and walked down hand in hand, searching for someone, anyone, who might be waiting for them. A couple of cars drove up and parked, and Raines got out of one. Virgil got out of the driver's seat of a minivan and Maddie emerged from the passenger side. Sam wasn't with them. Michael felt a lump in the pit of his stomach, and when he glanced at Fiona, her eyes showed the same concern and shock as his. Neither of them said anything about their friend's absence.

"Michael, welcome back," Raines said with a smile and an outstretched hand. "I'm really glad that you and Ms. Glenanne made it safely back here. Pearce, Porter, thanks for your assistance."

"It was my pleasure, Sir," Dani responded.

"I suppose you'll want a little time at home before you decide what you're going to do next," Raines said, implying that he thought Michael would return to the agency.

"I've had plenty of time to contemplate my future," Michael replied with a toothy smile, and he handed Raines a file folder. "That's my last report. I've done what you asked." Handing him another file, he said, "And that's my resignation. I'm through with the CIA. I made a promise to Fiona, and I'm not breaking it."

"Well." The director was tongue-tied.

Holding out his hand, Michael said, "You really didn't think I'd stay, did you?"

"Yes, I did. You earned this, Michael! And more! I was ready to promote you to Deputy Director. You would have to move to DC, but..."

Michael waved his hand. "No, nothing you tell me will change my mind. It's time to retire to something a little less stressful. Thanks, but, no thanks."

Raines frowned and shook his head. "I never thought I'd see the day, but well, if that's the way you want it. Good luck, Michael." He shook Michael's hand again. "Ms. Glenanne, I hope you make it worth it."

A defensive tone crept into Michael's voice as he slipped an arm around her. "She's worth it, Raines. Don't ever doubt it." He met her eyes and added, "I sure don't." The warmth of her smile sent a tingle down to his toes.

"Good luck. Send me a Christmas card, okay?" He grinned, a conciliatory expression, as he turned and walked to his car.

"Michael, I'm so proud of you," Fiona whispered and kissed his cheek.

"Michael!"

He turned at the sound of his mother's voice calling across the lot. He disengaged from Fiona and took a step toward her. Virgil let Maddie go, and she ran to him, and he to her until they met in the middle in a mash of arms hugging, eyes crying, and motherly kisses raining on his cheeks.

"Oh honey, I'm so glad you're home and you're done with the spying business."

"Me too, Ma." His voice sounded stuffy, and he sniffled. He couldn't ever recall a time when he cried like this, except when he released his emotions in private after Nate was killed. He didn't want to let go of his mom, but Fiona was beside him reaching for her. He released Maddie and she and Fiona cried and hugged, and Fiona showed off the ring Michael gave her. Through his tears he saw the look of pride and love on his mother's face when she glanced from the ring to him.

"You two have made me so happy." She sniffled. "When is the wedding?"

"Jeez, Ma, we... we just got home. Give us a couple days to make arrangements, okay?" He met Fiona's eyes. "Although, it's up to Fi what we're going to do."

Fiona's eyes exuded love as she replied, "Let's take a couple of days to get re-acclimated to Miami, and then we'll decide what to do. Besides, we can't get married until Sam is here."

Maddie slipped out of Fiona's grip and found Virgil beside her. "We're expecting Sam and Elsa to be back from Dallas in a couple of days."

"Dallas? What are they doing in Dallas," Michael asked.

"Come on, we'll tell you all about it at dinner," Virgil said and beckoned them to the minivan that he drove to the port. "Come on Jesse, Ms. Pearce. We've got room for everybody."

Going back to Carlito's was like coming home. The manager welcomed them with hugs and promises of free champagne to celebrate their return. The six sat around a couple tables pushed together and had quite the time hearing the story of how Sam fared while they were gone. Michael was sorry he missed the wedding, which made him even more certain that the same fate wouldn't befall Sam when it was his and Fiona's turn. The news of a baby on the way surprised him, and now with complications, he was fearful for his friends. His concern extended to Fiona, wondering if she thought that, since Elsa was able to conceive, maybe a little Westen could be in their future.

That night, when he and Fiona settled into the guest room at Maddie's house, where they would live until they could fix up the loft, he asked her outright. "Fi, do you want kids?"

"Kids?" She raised her head from where it lay on his shoulder and stared at him in the low light from the bed side lamp. "Do you want kids?"

"I don't know. I mean, look at how I reacted when Nate..." He paused. It still hurt to mention his brother's name. "When Nate brought Charlie to visit, and he cried, and I asked if he needed medical attention. I don't know the first thing about kids, Fi." His voice shook.

A look of amusement crossed her face as she traced a path up his chest with her finger, stopping short of his throat. "Are you afraid of a little baby? You, Michael Westen, whose conquered all sorts of nasty people, the baddest of the bad?" She chuckled.

"Yes, Fi. I'm scared of kids, okay? I don't know how to deal with them, or relate to them, and I don't want to be the kind of dad like I had."

"That would never happen, I'm certain of it." She kissed his lips, a short, tender peck. "I think you'd be a great dad, but... unless it happens, I wouldn't count on it. We have too much time to make up for ourselves before we start puttin' a wee one into the equation."

Michael's body relaxed and sank into the mattress. "Thank you, Fi."

"Thank you, Michael, for finally giving yourself, all of you, to me." She kissed him, her hands taking control, leading him to the brink of desire until he could no longer lay there without exerting himself.

Maddie got up to go to the kitchen for some water. As she passed the guest room she heard Fiona's short shriek of laughter, followed by Michael's deep voice. She couldn't hear the words, but from the squeaking and thumping going on in there, she couldn't help but laugh under her breath. The wall might have a few dents the next day, but with love in the house, it was worth it.

* * *

"Are you sure we're at the right concourse," Fiona asked.

"Yes. I checked the arrival board, and this was it," Michael responded for the fifth time. Almost two weeks since he and Fiona returned to Miami, Sam was finally coming home with Elsa. "Maybe the plane is running late or something." As he spoke, he saw a familiar head making slow progress among the other passengers. He pointed. "See, Fi? There's Sam right now. See?"

She gasped. "You're right. He looks well, but...but where's Elsa?" Her head swiveled, trying to look around the other people to find her.

The concourse ended, spilling people out in all directions and parting so that Michael and Fiona got a better view of Sam. He was dressed in his usual Hawaiian shirt and casual pants, his attention riveted on someone lower than him. When the people cleared, they saw Elsa sitting in a wheelchair that Sam pushed before him. He said something to her, she responded, and then her gaze met Michael and Fiona's. With wide eyes, she said something to Sam, and he looked where she pointed.

When Sam's face lit up, Michael's heartstrings felt like they were pulled to capacity. He and Fiona moved forward to meet them. "Sam. I...It's so good to see you." Michael broke away from Fiona and hugged him with abandon.

"It's good to be back, brother. I missed you." Sam held on tight.

Once they'd done enough hugging and back pounding to mask their tears, the two men parted. Fiona took her turn with Sam and gave him a sisterly kiss on both cheeks.

"You don't know... well, maybe you do..." Sam grinned. "Words can't even describe how good it feels to see you guys again, in once piece."

"And free," Fiona added with a grin. She slipped beside Michael, put her arms around him and announced, "He's quit the CIA."

"Amen, it's about time, brother," Sam crowed. "And you two are getting married. Maddie called and told me that. I guess she was too excited to keep that a surprise."

"No worries," Michael said. "We wanted to wait until you and Elsa were home to have the wedding." He looked at Elsa and held out his hand. She took his and he squeezed hers. "How are you doing?"

"I'm good. Thankfully I didn't have any lasting effects from the rollover." She trailed off. "Did anyone tell you about that?"

"Oh yes, we heard the whole story from Madeline and Virgil," Fiona replied. "I have to say, you were quite brave to do everything you did, and to then hide out with Sam."

Elsa's eyes held an intensity in them when she looked at Fiona. "Love will make you do things like that. I know you understand, don't you."

Fiona nodded. "That I do."

"Well, it's great that you're doing okay," Michael said. "So why are you in the wheelchair?"

"I've been put on bed rest for the duration of my pregnancy," Elsa explained with a deep sigh. "This is going to hamper my getting back up to speed at the hotel."

"And I told her to forget about it. I'll do a recon and give her a full report on what's happening," Sam said with a crooked smile.

Elsa patted his hand, which lay on her shoulder. "I'm glad I married you, Sam. Now, can you please roll me out of here? I want to go home."

"Your wish is my command, big momma." He kissed her temple and started pushing her toward the baggage claim area. "Where are you guys staying for the time being?"

"We're at my Ma's. After the wedding, we want to fix up the loft."

"After that?"

Michael shrugged. "Who knows? Fi wants me to take some time off, and I intend to. We need to spend time just being together with no distractions." He gave Fiona a secret smile.

"I understand completely. But hey, if you're interested, I'm thinking of starting up a detective agency with Keith Turner. You're welcome to join us." Sam nodded. "Jesse's thinking about it. The four of us could make quite the team."

"Five," Fiona interrupted and gave Sam the eye, as if he expected he could get away with not including her.

"Oh yeah, how could I forget you, Fi." Sam laughed. "This could get quite interesting."

"We'll think about it, Sam." Michael squeezed Fiona's shoulders closer to his body. "We've got more important things to work on right now."

"That we do," Fiona agreed.

* * *

_Coming in Episode 3 of The Rise of Sam Axe: Baby Steps - Michael and Fiona marry and undertake the task of rebuilding the loft with Sam's assistance. Keith returns to Miami with Dani Pearce, both looking for a new life outside the agency. Jesse hopes that she'll consider a life with him. And Elsa prepares for a major upheaval in her life as she and Sam anticipate the birth of their child._


End file.
